Ask the Expert

Today's journal entry is a collaborative effort that requires a bit of an introduction.

Back in April of 2009, the Journal of Ravenseyrie was fortunate to be given permission to reprint The Horse Too is Allowed to Say “No” an article by Imke Spilker, author of Empowered Horses. More recently, a reader named Cyndi left several comments sharing her enthusiasm for Imke's writings along with a handful of questions, which quite naturally would be prompted by such a "radical" approach to horse/human relationships.


Within the comment section of that earlier journal entry, I provided my personal thoughts and answers for Cyndi--if you missed them, you can read by following the hyper-link for the article above.



Both this particular article and the Empowered Horses book were translated into English by my friend Kristina McCormack. Kris was kind enough to share Cyndi's queries with Imke Spilker, and together Kris and Imke generated a dialogue of their thoughts and perceptions which Cyndi's questions had sparked. It is our good fortune that these deep-thinking women have been willing to share their "answers" within today's journal entry.


As readers move through the thought-provoking text I hope you will enjoy some recent scenes from Ravenseyrie (where it is still very much wintertime).




Cyndi's Comments and Questions:

I finally finished "Empowered Horses", and plan to start re-reading it soon! I really enjoyed it, and found it to be quite inspirational. I would love to spend some time watching people like Imke, to better grasp what she does with her horses, as I am unsure about what I am doing, and I am a visual learner :o)

I do have questions. Some of the horses, like El Paso and Passaro, who were so volatile...how did they do routine things like hoof trimming with these guys before their transformations? When it takes years to get some of these horses to this point, what do you do for vet visits and such?

It was interesting to study the body language of the horses during play. I can see from the pictures that my mare is often showing signs of playful pleasure. What about head tossing? Some would say that head tossing is a sign of irritation by the horse...or can it also be play? I suppose it would depend on what other parts of the body are doing, to interpret that properly.

I have heard that if you let your horse act out or do whatever it wants, that that can reinforce rude behaviour...for instance, a horse may learn that if he does a certain behaviour, people will back off. At what point does the horse start coming around?

I'm sorry for asking so many questions, but if I don't ask, then I won't know :o)

I highly recommend this book.

Kristina McCormack:

When Lynne first drew my attention to Cyndi’s comments, she asked me if I would respond with an account of my own experiences with Khe-Ra and her hooves. Khe-Ra is a “volatile” young horse who had major issues about a number of things, including having a hoof held up. The simple everyday experience of having a hoof cleaned made her tense, fearful, and angry. Trimming was out of the question. As I wrote to Lynne, I hesitate to bring up how Khe-Ra and I dealt with this, because I do not want to imply that what we did -- and did not do -- was the "right answer" or even applicable to *any* other horse-human interaction. The answer, for me, to these kinds of questions is: there is no one right answer.

Imke Spilker:

Yes, you are absolutely right! The answers to such questions are found first and foremost with the horses themselves. But in the book of the Empowered Horses there is also quite a bit about this. Actually, I wrote the book precisely because of these kinds of questions that Cyndi poses. Even the title “Empowered Horses” (“Selbstbewusste Pferde) is one -- my personal -- answer to our “problem” of volatile horses.” A horse that has become empowered, will no longer flee. He will “stand his ground.”

Kris:

My own experience with the book of the Empowered Horses is that there is so much to be learned in its pages that it requires many readings, with close attention to the photos. Even now, every time I open it I find something new. Yet, Imke receives quite a bit of correspondence from readers who want something more. Having read the book once and been moved by it, they want to know what to *do* to put the principles of the Empowered Horses into practice. They want guidance, instructions, exercises. They want to watch Imke work with horses, so that they can learn from *her.* This desire, this “need” for answers from an expert seems perfectly natural. After all, how are we going to learn if not from someone who knows? We want to do the right thing for our horses, so we seek out what we think are the best possible experts with whom to study. The mistake we make is seeking out only human experts. We begin to learn when we realize that the real expert on this subject about which we are so passionate, the best possible teacher, is this horse standing next to us right now. We begin to really learn when we devote ourselves to “studying” with him.

Imke:

In that spirit, what good does it actually do to relay stories of Passaro’s or El Paso’s farrier visits? Vets and farriers do not try to hurt horses, they do not want to harm them, do they? In all honesty, my feeling is that stories like this are not very useful -- they tend to bring people further away from their own horses. And it is their horses that this all should be about.

Kris:

If I want to have a closer friendship with someone, do I go watch two other friends interacting with one another? And if I were silly enough to try that, what could I possibly learn about the person with whom I want to be friends?

Imke:

Yes, exactly!. What kind of a person on a date would continually text other friends for suggestions and advice about what to say next?

Kris:

I think we do this with horses because we’ve been taught lies -- for example, that horses are dangerous, stupid, need to be shown who is boss, etc. -- and that there is a “right” way to “handle” them. We want to learn that right way. And, it seems so much easier to follow a detailed “recipe” formulated by an expert, than to cultivate our own awareness and truly be in the moment -- moment after moment -- with a horse, listening to him with an open heart, responding intuitively. So, -- almost unconsciously -- we continually look for “one size fits all” instructions

There is no general rule or procedure for interacting with "volatile" horses, or any horses for that matter .... except maybe to LISTEN to them, to pay attention to what they're trying to tell us. That in itself is a huge undertaking, and worthy of all the energy and attention we can give.

Everything depends... on the horse, the person, the relationship between them,the situation, the individual moment, and countless other variables.

Imke:

Nevertheless, most humans want certainties and methods and other humans to whom they can attach themselves.

But how can I expect a horse to believe in me more than he believes in other horses, when I myself listen more to others of my own kind, when I more readily give them my trust, than my horse -- who is actually what this is all about!?

Kris:

Aren’t we humans silly? Just look at what we do, over and over again -- we want to know how our horse feels, what he is thinking, how we can help him feel better, move better, how we can be a better friend to him .... and instead of asking him, spending time with him, entering into a real dialog with him, we seek out another human -- one who likely does not know this horse at all, has never even laid eyes on him.

We study with this person, we hang on his every word, we watch him interact with other horses and we strive to do our best to do what he does. We work so hard to be good students. We follow instructions to the letter. And, in the end, what have we learned?

Mostly, we’ve learned to deny our own feelings, instinct, and intuition -- yet these qualities are precisely what we need to “hear” and understand the horses in our lives. We’ve learned to shut out our horse. By studying the human experts, learning their formulas and methods, diligently imitating them -- we make ourselves blind and deaf in our interactions with horses. We forsake the living reality of here and now and cling to the abstract -- someone else’s words and gestures.

When we have spent a lifetime learning to deny our feelings and intuition, being told to rely on them sounds just plain crazy... and frightening. We don’t trust ourselves. (No wonder, when we’ve always been taught that some expert knows better.) We don’t trust Horse. . We only trust other human beings.

And we call horses herd-bound.

Kris continues:

So, basically, Imke’s answer to these kinds of questions is: “Ask the expert, the real expert! Go to your horse!”

Which brings up one more question, namely: If we should learn primarily from interaction with our horses rather than from other human beings , why then do you (Imke) give seminars and lessons? Why do you even teach?

Imke:

Your horse is and will always be the best expert to ask, even when you
come to a clinic with me. My task there is to transmit and translate. If someone comes just to observe, “to see how it is done,” I will gently explain that "it" cannot be learned by watching me, and I will send him home to his horse.

We can begin to understand only when we have completely moved out of the observer
perspective and engage with the horse ourselves. Interaction with the horse is the path to understanding.

It is true that sometimes a person stands in front of his horse, absolutely clueless -- and the horse is just as clueless regarding the human. In that situation, I try to “open the gate" so that the two of them can come together.

Sometimes the horse-human pair has a history together, a great deal of accumulated “baggage” over which they stumble again and again. But the fundamental problem, the essential difficulty in the horse- human relationship is actually that horses are too nice to us. They will do almost anything for us. Give a human a hoof and he'll take the whole horse. We human beings do not notice that we do this, or, if we do, we have no idea what to do about it.

My teaching is for people who envision their horses empowered, who want to help them become more powerful. If you want to see me for the sake of seeing Imke Spilker, I will gladly say “hello” to you and we can chat for a while. But that will not satisfy you. It cannot. That which is essential happens between you and your horse. As long as you do not realize that, there is nothing I can do.

On the other hand, if you are someone, who, in the company of horses, always asks yourself: “How do I fit-in here, what can I do with these creatures that will not harm them?” or, even better, “how can I, a human being, make myself useful to them?” -- if those are your questions, I have some suggestions for you!

How thankful I am to Cyndi for posing her good questions and for Kris McCormack and Imke Spilker for their provocative responses. Not too unlike a Zen koan, I think that the perceptions shared in this dialogue serve very well to lead us to meaningful personal realizations where our horses and our inner sense of what is appropriate in any given situation is spontaneously revealed, moment to moment precisely because we--horse and human--are more tuned into each other than anyone or anything else.

(Please click on image to see larger format)
Photos courtesy of K. McCormack

Reflections on Hierarchy and Aggression

A "Top of the World" view from Ravenseyrie overlooking Lake Huron's North Channel

I posted a journal entry in April which prompted a couple of comments from a reader the other day. In this particular journal entry I shared a long quote from an article written by Imke Spilker which I had found inspiring. One reader, however, found Imke's words to be misleading generalizations and wanted to share her concerns based on her own personal experience. I would like to address those concerns here because I think there may be something for us all to reflect upon in a helpful way.


The article I quoted from is titled, The Horse Too is Allowed to Say "No". The quote I used in my journal entry says:

To come to an understanding with communicative horses, the person must absolutely not be an “expert.” On the contrary, a “newbie” is more open, giving the horses space comes easier to him. The horses are happy to teach us and enjoy that role. A prerequisite is that the person has learned to pay attention to his partner, the horse, and respect his wishes. The horses sense whether or not a basis of mutuality exists. Once it is established, both parties can develop their sensitivity, to themselves and to the other. Intuitive understanding functions (only) in both directions. Naturally, we are asked whether this kind of interaction can become dangerous for the human being. Horses are by nature peaceful beings who do not make victims of weaker ones, and who scrupulously avoid deliberately hurting someone. Danger exists when the person applies pressure and force, and the horse can no longer retreat from the situation. A horse who has the possibility of walking away, whose needs for peace and space are respected, will harm no one. A game into which the horse is pressured is no longer one (even if the person is amused by it). On the other hand, without force or threat, even the most strenuous exercises can be playfully easy for the horse. One must learn to let go, and one must think from the horse’s perspective – that is all too gladly forgotten about. To me there is nothing safer than communicating with horses in this way -- anything else strikes me as too dangerous. I do not like battles because someone always has to lose. The message that comes across when we communicate with one another depends to a large degree on how we say something. That applies to communication with horses as well. A horse must be able to say “no” at any time and have the freedom to leave, and then we human beings must design our work in such away that the horse truly benefits by it. --Imke Spilker

On June 12, this comment was posted which focused on one sentence (which I've made bold for emphasis) of the above quote:

Hello,

I just wanted to post a question about the letter of Ms Imke. When she states that "a horse that has the possibility of walking away whose needs for peace and rest are respected will harm no one". With the solely spirit of learning their ways and with all respect due, I would like to ask a question based on that statement. How then low rank horses pick on lower rank ones, why horses that aren't high in the hierarchy will charge others only as a display of dominance aggression, etc (choose your word)and it will harm them if the other don't leave quick enough or if caught off guard?. It's their way, it's proactive way of testing their place in the group. They can display this behaviour with humans as well because for this horse we are lower so he can go after us just as they can go after the chickens, it won't matter who but the position, rank, etc they have a that particular moment in the group. Just to mention that the way Ms Imke writes it it's not necessarily so,maybe it depends.
sincerily,
marisela gould

I posted the following brief reply:

Marisela,
Thank you for taking time to leave a comment and pose a very good question regarding what Imke Spilker has written regarding allowing the horse the option to exercise a "no" by being free to leave.

If you would allow me a day or so, I will devote an entire journal entry to the issues you have raised here.

For now, I would simply like to suggest that the relationship we desire to have with our horses is not the same as the relationship horses have with each other...what ever means of communication we share will be unique to our horse/human relationship.

More to follow.

I do appreciate your taking the time to post your comments, Marisela.

And the next day, Marisela offered further commentary to assist our understanding of her feelings regarding Imke's statement:

Dear Lynne,

I appreciate equally you taking the time to read and comment on this question. I also share your view relating to the relationship horse to horse is different from horse-human for a variety of reasons . I would like to illustrate this comment with my personal experience as I have experimented with the horses here. I did this excersise with a low-rank mare here where I played being intimidated by her. It took less than 3 minutes and she already bought my act, her next move was charge me. I show this just to illustrated that some individuals can and will show aggressiveness toward humans even at complete freedom with no restrains. Not all and everyone but there are exceptions. I don't think is about being human or dog, chicken, it's about hierarchy, pecking order or similar concept( again plain personal observations). Ms Imke comment is generalizing horse behaviour and it can be misleading and foster a preconceived believe with which we can force (in our minds) behaviour instead of just accepting what is there, just plain noticing based on blank, nothing, no expectations, just as is not as we wish, hope, need should be. All I did was to use body language and within a very short time it empowered her to charge, ears, teeth , pied-a-terre type of movement and all she had. What I just said it's based only on my personal observations.
Thank you again for your time and thoughts.
Fondly,
Marisela

Since receiving these comments, I have, of course, been reflecting on Marisela's words and the concepts of hierarchy and aggression and how Marisela's experience relates to things Imke Spilker has written. I am reluctant to comment directly on Marisela's experiment, wherein she played being intimidated by a low ranking mare, as there are far too many variables undefined which may have effected the expression of aggression this mare demonstrated. Rather, I'd like to relay that Imke Spilker is not unaware of the potential for horses to act out in aggressive ways, and, in fact she has some interesting stories of her own to share in her book, EMPOWERED HORSES. Imke devotes herself to finding a way to empower horses that is beneficial for them and uses observation of each horse's means of expression to develop exercises that channel their energies into positive actions that help horses mentally and physically.


Let's look back at the other elements of the quote in question...the sentences before and after the one that Marisela feels is misleading. Then I will share what meaning I find in them and how it applies to my interactions with horses. Hopefully using this means of reflection will help Marisela understand the spirit with which Imke wrote the statement in question.

A prerequisite is that the person has learned to pay attention to his partner, the horse, and respect his wishes. The horses sense whether or not a basis of mutuality exists. Once it is established, both parties can develop their sensitivity, to themselves and to the other.

Danger exists when the person applies pressure and force, and the horse can no longer retreat from the situation.

A game into which the horse is pressured is no longer one (even if the person is amused by it).

The message that comes across when we communicate with one another depends to a large degree on how we say something. That applies to communication with horses as well.

Within the variety of equines I share my life with here at Ravenseyrie, there are four horses in particular that, should I want to experiment by playing a game that pretends I am intimidated by them, would in all likelihood be perceived as strange, potentially threatening behavior from me, which would cause them enough mental stress to act out aggressively as a means of getting me out of their space. I find this to be their absolute right to make their opinions so obvious. I know that Altamiro, Belina, Zeus and Zorita each are easily agitated and things they find unsettling bring out expressions of aggression, and therefore it would be inconceivable that I would use a hierarchical "game" for any reason, because I know it is not something they would find the least bit of pleasure in. A game like this with any of the others would prompt sufficient befuddlement from them, but they are not they type of horses (or mules) to feel threatened by my pretending to be intimidated by them.


The importance of paying attention to the essence of each horse and respecting their wishes is what helps the horse discern our mutuality. My intentions, the feeling in my heart, my overall desire to find common ground with the horses is something that I must continually monitor and recognize that the single most thing a horse will measure me by is if my inner thoughts match my body's expression. Complete honesty in how I present myself to them is essential in assuring the horses that I respect their need for peace and space. It is also the basis of how I can assist the horses in knowing themselves in relation to me and how we proceed with developing our relationship further. In this way, when I am interacting with a horse I avoid situations that would bring out aggression toward me and foster a self-control and understanding on the horse's part that forgives and overlooks (or simply leaves my presence) in times when I fall short of being the best partner to them that I can be.

On page 176 of Empowered Horses, Imke wrote:

A horse that learns to know himself also learns to master himself. Horses can and want to understand vulnerability. They know what it is to be afraid. Of course, for our part, we have to lay open our weaknesses rather than bury them in a dominant approach. A horse that is master of himself is an absolutely reliable partner: it is, after all, about togetherness, about friendship.

When I approach my horses, I do not think about hierarchy between us at all. I am, however, aware of how each horse behaves among his herd mates and take this into consideration on how he or she may potentially respond to me and tailor my interactions in ways that are empowering but not provocative. I approach each of my horses in an egalitarian, admiringly respectful manner, whether I am reaching out to connect with a young foal, an aloof mare or the vigilant stallion. I come to them as an equal being who desires interaction--not as a parent figure, or a boss, or a dominant leader, but as a friend. I come as a human friend who is not as muscularly endowed as they are and cannot engage in physical contact in the same manner which horses do among themselves. (I believe this is what Imke means when she writes, "we have to lay open our weaknesses rather than bury them in a dominant approach".) If they desire to spend time with me, we might then explore play, work, schooling, leading, following, etc. all in a fluid "back and forth" dialogue. Perhaps on a given day, my horse desires me to be the leader so that he can follow me into learning something new. On another day, my horse might want to take the initiative and determine for himself what he'd like to pursue and have me support him as a coach or friend.

Yes, horses use hierarchy and pecking order amongst themselves and sometimes they have outbursts of aggression (though observing my herd living a semi-wild existence I feel hierarchy and aggression is much more fluid than most doctrines which base their training on it would have us believe). The intention to do harm is not something I have found to be part of these outbursts - their intention is to be understood...and when there is understanding, there is an overall peacefulness that is not disrupted by petty squabbles that appear so physically violent to us. In developing a mutuality between myself and the horses, keen awareness and extreme politeness in friendship are the elements I use to bring about a deeper relationship that allows us to explore things together that horses and humans would not be able to do without each other.


Marisela, I don't know if this lengthy reply is helpful to you or not. If one takes that one sentence out of context, I can certainly see why one would find it to be a misleading generalization - however, I hope I have demonstrated that Imke's statement is based on elements of mutuality between horses and humans that must be addressed first and foremost in order to have full understanding.

I hope you will consider acquiring Imke's book, Empowered Horses, which will illuminate things so much better than I have tried to do.

An Article by Imke Spilker

After careful consideration, my friend, Kris, and Imke Spilker have decided that it would be a nice treat for readers of the Journal of Ravenseyrie to have opportunity to read in full the article I quoted from in the entry titled, More on Empowered Horses. (Click here for the first entry on the Empowered Horses book.) The article you'll be reading today was first published in the October 1997 issue of Freizeit im Sattel. We are ever closer (days?) to receiving ordered copies of the Trafalgar Square edition of Empowered Horses. In the meantime, thanks to the thoughtful generosity of Imke and Kris, we can sample a bit of how Imke relates with horses through this dated, yet timeless article. Thank you, Kris and Imke, for this opportunity! (If readers would like to discuss this article, I'd be happy to open up our comments section for this, please feel free to leave your impressions, questions, etc.)


How communication develops body awareness
The Horse Too is Allowed to Say “No”
by Imke Spilker
Translated by Kristina McCormack

In keeping horses, the trend is unmistakable: we give our horses more freedom because we have learned that it does them good. We give them an open stall or a paddock, and, with others of their kind, they can decide when and why and where to go, in which activities around them they will participate and whether they would rather withdraw. In the project: Communicating With Horses Imke Spilker carries this principle of free choice over into the foundation-building ground work. The horses may always decide whether and how they would like to participate. Does that sound strange? Read on to discover how and why this works, and how it affects horses and people.

Anyone who has worked intensively with animals over a long period of time notices that they have a very good sense for what is right for them. So why is it that this realization is so totally ignored when it comes to the training and physical development of horses? Why do we have to force them to do what is good for them, or should be, according to human conviction? I want to be with horses, to experience things together, and to do something for them to help them in their physical development. Our horses here know that. When they see us coming (carrying tack, for example) they all gather at the entrance to the fenced-in but always open riding arena, fighting to see who gets to go first. Their participation happens entirely of their own free will – they can at any time leave the arena via an exit passage that is never closed off. The horses are fascinated by this kind of work, as we are. No one gives them instructions about what has to be done – they have equal rights. Instead of the orders or demands of a strict hierarchy, they are met with fun, acknowledgment, and empowerment. So there are no “lazy” horses – because someone who comes of his own free will and works out of his own interest in the subject is highly motivated. How does this happen?


What benefits, motivates
You begin with those things that a horse clearly likes and finds pleasant, food for example, or scratching. I observe a horse very closely and think about how I can do a little something to make him happy. That can vary widely – for example, some horses view treats as bribery. And, no horse will piaffe in exchange for snacks. In the end the only motivation is that the horses realize that it is good for them to work this way. It helps them and they are possessed by the good feelings that ensue. Then it is more likely that you will have to temper their enthusiasm because they simply do not want to stop working (for those situations we have a consolation prize?).

Lord and Master, or Friend?
Horses must be dominated, according to conventional wisdom. When that does not happen, chaos ensues and a human being is hopelessly at the mercy of his horse. This is a macho-myth that is very helpful to people of a certain psychological profile. But, for others it is not. Many people have become very insecure because of this myth – simply because they actually like their horses. For them, questions like this arise: Do I have to enforce my will, even though I may be the one making a mistake? Must I be lord and master when I would rather be friend? May I be affectionate with my horse, may I let him nuzzle and “groom” me? Many people do not feel right autocratically laying claim to the “alpha” position. They are sensitive to the arrogance that lies behind this, they sense the ignorance – and the danger that ensues from such behavior…For these people the position of the horse in our project is more fitting. Kim, for example, has been part of the project for a couple of years. He was one of those Haflingers that everyone saw as too stupid, too lazy, too clumsy, stubborn...and he was handled accordingly. Kim believed this himself. He became white eyed, high headed, pulled people down, and tumbled off an embankment…just what you’d expect from a mixture of mountain draft with Arabian bloodlines. But he is actually not like that (no horse is), and today he knows it. He has come to very precisely know his strengths, his body’s power, and his hindquarters, and he carries himself even into piaffe like an Iberian. Playfully he unfolds his power, perfectly masters his body, and knows exactly what he is doing. In the photo (below) Kim has, through looks and gentle nudges, invited the person, whom he likes and has known for a while, to come into the arena and play with him. For the person this is all still relatively new, but he joins in the running simply because Kim has invited him. They are having great fun, experiencing unconditional trust and perfect harmony with one another. At the same time, Kim indicates with his “listening within” ear position that he is very much in himself, focused on his own body. His transformation into a sensitive and supple athlete is based on the increased trust in himself.

How lightly the rather massive Kim moves on his hindquarters – a bending of the haunches that he perfected on his own. He has become very agile, and very aware of his body.

A moment of quiet intimacy: when things become too wild for a person the horses sense it immediately and contain themselves.

Intuition, Not Rigid Methods
No one here just tacks up and leaps onto a horse’s back, rather we first come together with the horse on the ground, on the same level. Riding without the horse first clearly inviting, does not interest us. How the work proceeds depends entirely on the horse. There are no recipes, and it can be different each time, because both horse and person are individuals who are constantly changing. Our basic requirement is to be open when we approach the horse, and to like him exactly as he is. It is shocking how rarely one encounters that liking in practice, particularly among “professionals.” Bad intentions are attributed to the horses, they are handled as though they are deliberately dangerous, everything becomes an issue of respect, which is beaten in, and in the end one arrives at what the horses already have in excess: fear. Our inner attitude toward the horse is enormously important. We have all had the experience of someone treating us unjustly and with great mistrust. At some point we actually behave just as expected, confirming the prejudgment in retrospect. This influence can be positive, too. We can empower each other in our positive qualities. That is actually what we do with the horses here, or they with us…depending on the point of view. That is why the horses gladly participate in the work, why they come by to show themselves off, present their physical talents and develop them further. Fitness and physical development are quintessentially in their self-interest. Horses have only their bodies with which to express themselves, and they do that with enthusiasm.

Self-responsibility Required

Taking responsibility for themselves is a quality that is thoroughly driven out of horses from their youth on. They are not allowed to have an opinion, rather, they are supposed to obey. The more naturally they grow up and are kept, the more familiar they will be with self-responsibility. The example of Ole, a young Norwegian gelding makes this clear. At first he is still shy, does not want to do anything wrong, is a bit afraid. This makes him heavy-headed like many horses of his type. But, after 15 minutes of “communication” he begins to feel strong and self-confident. His movements become rhythmic and powerful and graceful. How? He was given no task to do, but discovered, through the human being, that he is doing nothing wrong and that the person finds him good. Through this sort of affirmation and acknowledgement a horse continuously develops himself further and the level of his work continuously rises. The horse offers exercises of his own accord even to the level of high school once he has gotten that far. Ole would rarely move as he does on the photo by himself. He needs us for that. In the work together, however, the development of the horses rapidly gains a surprising dynamic of it own.
Between these first two photos fifteen minutes passed which we spent together in the riding arena. Ole is here for the first time, and shy and insecure at the beginning. He gains more self-confidence just from the praise and affirmation of the human being, and it is mirrored immediately in the way he carries himself.
Icelandic stallion Toppur shows us how something like this looks at a much higher level. His measured rhythmic jumps in an uphill canter show a baroque exercise. The Galopade demands a very focused use of his haunches. Toppur masters this demanding exercise completely independently, without being disturbed with constant corrections. He remains wholly centered because he can keep his attention on himself instead of on the instructions of the human being.

Baroque elegance in Icelandic: Toppur is perfectly collected and balanced, totally focused on his body. Movement this expressive and in self-carriage is only possible because both horse and person desire it.

Help with Disabilities
This work in dialog is particularly suited to horses with physical or psychic(emotional/mental/spiritual) afflictions. “Untalented”, resigned, broken-down horses immediately sense the difference (unconditional acceptance from the human being) and quickly change for the positive as they internalize what they have learned and take it further. So, more and more they help and train themselves. It is admirable how deliberately and with how much energy handicapped horses in particular apply themselves. A physically damaged horse must always determine for himself the content and degree of difficulty of his exercise program. How else can I be sure that I am not over-facing or tormenting him?

Alternating Roles
To come to an understanding with communicative horses, the person must absolutely not be an “expert.” On the contrary, a “newbie” is more open, giving the horses space comes easier to him. The horses are happy to teach us and enjoy that role. A prerequisite is that the person has learned to pay attention to his partner, the horse, and respect his wishes. The horses sense whether or not a basis of mutuality exists. Once it is established, both parties can develop their sensitivity, to themselves and to the other. Intuitive understanding functions (only) in both directions. Naturally, we are asked whether this kind of interaction can become dangerous for the human being. Horses are by nature peaceful beings who do not make victims of weaker ones, and who scrupulously avoid deliberately hurting someone. Danger exists when the person applies pressure and force, and the horse can no longer retreat from the situation. A horse who has the possibility of walking away, whose needs for peace and space are respected, will harm no one. A game into which the horse is pressured is no longer one (even if the person is amused by it). On the other hand, without force or threat, even the most strenuous exercises can be playfully easy for the horse. One must learn to let go, and one must think from the horse’s perspective – that is all too gladly forgotten about. To me there is nothing safer than communicating with horses in this way -- anything else strikes me as too dangerous. I do not like battles because someone always has to lose. The message that comes across when we communicate with one another depends to a large degree on how we say something. That applies to communication with horses as well. A horse must be able to say “no” at any time and have the freedom to leave, and then we human beings must design our work in such away that the horse truly benefits by it.

In the conventional perception whips are negative to both people and horses – instruments for hitting and punishment. Horses connect them with certain experiences. That is why it can be so exciting for them to confront whips. A parallel example: It is fun for children to be thrown into the air… in part because of the threat of falling. But this is a game only as long the child himself wants the excitement and feels protected and safe. If his feelings are not precisely observed and respected, the game falls apart and becomes trauma. Our horses sometimes “conquer” the whips so thoroughly that we have a great deal of wear and tear – the whips are bitten, trampled, and crushed.

Once again, here are just a few links to where EMPOWERED HORSES by Imke Spilker can be purchased.
From the publisher
From Amazon.ca
From Amazon.com
(Amazon.com says the book will be in stock on 17April09!)

More on Empowered Horses

A confident, impish, empowered horse, Altamiro steals this journal author's shawl.
(Photo: Leslie Town)

On April 2nd, Martha Cook, from Trafalgar Square posted a comment to my journal entry on the newly published book, Empowered Horses written by Imke Spilker. (follow this link to read the entry: http://ravenseyrie.blogspot.com/2009/02/empowered-horses.html)
In the event that readers of the Journal of Ravenseyrie might not follow up on comments that are posted, I'm taking the opportunity to put Martha's comments in today's entry so that those who are interested can take advantage of the generous offer she's tipped us off to.

Martha wrote:

Many thanks for spreading the word about Imke's work and EMPOWERED HORSES! I'm bookmarking your blog so I can follow as other people discover EMPOWERED HORSES. I'm writing from the book's publisher Trafalgar Square Books. If any of your readers would like to join our e-mail list at www.horseandriderbooks.com, they will be eligible for a special discount and advance notice of EMPOWERED HORSES and other new publications.

Soon, I hope many of you will have copies of Imke Spilker's book in your hands (Trafalgar's Horse and Rider site says the books are due to ship April 20th).

The Ravenseyrie herd has followed Kevin on a walk down the bluff/Summer 2007

This relaying of Martha's comments in a new entry prompts me to share with reader's a little more of what Imke Spilker's work represents.

Our sense of what a horse is, is vitally important in how we approach relations with him. Do we admire him, yet fear him? Do we think him recalcitrant if he resists doing our bidding? Do we think we must make him know we are "the boss" otherwise he will take advantage of us?

Bella accepts grooming her least favorite spot much better at liberty than if held fast by a halter.
(Photo: Leslie Town)

Because horses are large, quick and powerful many of us have been instructed that they are dangerous animals which must be dominated and taught to obey us as leaders. Typically "respect" and "obedience" are gained from the horse through restricting his movements using enclosures, halters, bridles and bits through which the human hopes to establish a means of "communication" which, in these circumstances, always is coupled with a certain intimidation and varying degrees of discomfort or pain. This type of training, whether it is done crudely or done with the finesse one admires in an exquisite classical écuyer, always takes something away from the horse in order to gain compliance. Is it possible to appeal to the horse in a way that gives rather than takes and is free from pressures which the horse must yield to?

Yes! And this is precisely what we will learn about when we read Empowered Horses.

An example of "mutual grooming, the Sorraia stallion, Altamiro, nuzzles my hand as I itch his back.
(Photo: Leslie Town)

Kris McCormack, (who translated Empowered Horses to English) sent me a copy of an article Imke Spilker had written over ten years ago. This article appeared in the German publication, Freizeit im Sattel in October 1997. Kris translated it and as we wait for Empowered Horses to be delivered, I thought it might be inspiring to share the last paragraph from this article, titled, The Horse Too is Allowed to Say "No".

To come to an understanding with communicative horses, the person must absolutely not be an “expert.” On the contrary, a “newbie” is more open, giving the horses space comes easier to him. The horses are happy to teach us and enjoy that role. A prerequisite is that the person has learned to pay attention to his partner, the horse, and respect his wishes. The horses senses whether or not a basis of mutuality exists. Once it is established, both parties can develop their sensitivity, to themselves and to the other. Intuitive understanding functions (only) in both directions. Naturally, we are asked whether this kind of interaction can become dangerous for the human being. Horses are by nature peaceful beings who do not make victims of weaker ones, and who scrupulously avoid deliberately hurting someone. Danger exists when the person applies pressure and force, and the horse can no longer retreat from the situation. A horse who has the possibility of walking away, whose needs for peace and space are respected, will harm no one. A game into which the horse is pressured is no longer one (even if the person is amused by it). On the other hand, without force or threat, even the most strenuous exercises can be playfully easy for the horse. One must learn to let go, and one must think from the horse’s perspective – that is all too gladly forgotten about. To me there is nothing safer than communicating with horses in this way -- anything else strikes me as too dangerous. I do not like battles because someone always has to lose. The message that comes across when we communicate with one another depends to a large degree on how we say something. That applies to communication with horses as well. A horse must be able to say “no” at any time and have the freedom to leave, and then we human beings must design our work in such away that the horse truly benefits by it. --Imke Spilker

Zeus enjoys a facial currying out in the big wide open at Ravenseyrie.
Photo: (Leslie Town)

What new levels of understanding will humans grow into from such interactions with horses? How much more satisfying and true our time with horses will be when they chose to be with us and stay by our sides completely at liberty because they find time with us fun and interesting and empowering!

Empowered Horses

(Click on book cover image to view it in a larger format)

I have been given permission to discuss in greater detail the work of a lovely German woman, Imke Spilker, as gifted to us in her book SELBSTBEWUSSTE PFERDE. It is with immense, heartfelt enthusiasm I share here that Empowered Horses / Learning Their Way, Through Independence, Self-Confidence and Creative Play has gone to press and is expected to be available for delivery in April! At long last, Kristina McCormack's English translation of this relationship-altering book is available, thanks to the foresight of the editors at Trafalgar Square in securing the rights to publish it.

I have ordered several advanced copies (including one for you Nancy, and one for you Jean, as promised!)

Here are just a handful of places which already have the book available for pre-ordering:

http://www.horseandriderbooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=EMHO&Category_Code=

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/1570764131/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB

http://www.amazon.com/Empowering-Horses-Learn-Their-Self-Confidence/dp/1570764131


If you go to the Amazon sites, they offer an excellent glimpse inside the book. In this first Journal of Ravenseyrie entry for February, I hope to give you a heightened feel for this book as well, as I quote from some of the passages I've highlighted in the working draft of the translation which Kris provided me quite some time ago.

Before I begin our virtual thumbing through Empowered Horses, I want to relay why I find this book to be so pivotal in my life, and why I am so keen to have others read and experience it for themselves.

Imke Spilker had an epiphany one day, when--like any other day--she went out to the pasture with the intent to ride her horse. Questions that many of us have begun to ask of ourselves plagued her that fateful day and instead of pushing such questions aside, she felt compelled to sit down and confront them head on. These are the questions she asked herself:

What gives you the right to do what you always do -- punish what you call disobedient -- try to control them -- lay claim to their bodies? What are you doing here? Why do you do that?

We humans have a long history with horses, throughout which we have been culturally shaped into believing that we must always assume leadership and be the dominant partner in our relationship with horses. Such perspectives at best profess to love and care for a horse like a parent tends to a child, and at worst, the assumed role of dominant being leads humans to perpetuate all manner of immoral assaults upon the horse and its liberty as equally as abhorrent as the history of slavery among humans.

Is there a different concept of the horse/human relationship possible--one that does not demean the horse by constantly treating it as an immature child or look upon it as chattel we own and can "use" as we see fit? And if the answer is "yes" how do we go about discovering this new way of being with horses?

My own epiphany was not something I can attribute to a single "pasture moment" like Imke Spilker's, rather mine has been a gradual reflecting upon these questions over years and allowing the answers to emerge through a myriad of mishaps, bumblings and overriding intuition that directed me towards influences that broke free from the pattern of old modes cultural shaping. All fine and good, this gradual epiphany, but I must say it rather left me feeling completely uncertain about how to proceed with carrying on with any form of "horse training" within this new mindset I'd flowered into. Empowered Horses not only provides all that is necessary to go exploring the deep, murky waters where the above questions live so that we can find inspiring, liberating answers, this book also reveals to us how to graft elements of classical horse training onto a relationship built upon "play".

In many ways, what Imke Spilker shares with us in this book is much like what I learned during my study of Nevzorov Haute Ecole (in fact her work along these lines predates his). While both approach the horse from a completely novel mindset and excel at assisting horses in developing authentic natural collection, Imke Spilker does so without finding it necessary to condemn others who may not yet be ready to change their way of thinking about horse/human relationships. Also, Imke Spilker's training is more horse-directed (as in Learning "Their" Way) than is that of Nevzorov Haute Ecole, the latter which imposes restrictions and specific rules which must be adhered to by both human and horse. With the wide-open landscape and semi-wild herd setting here at Ravenseyrie, Imke Spilker's approach to training is much more fitting and achievable for me and (in my opinion) more physically and mentally satisfying for the horses.

So, let's take a look at some of what Imke Spilker has written in Empowered Horses...

Considerations on the horse/human relationship

Horses are defenseless against the encroachment of human beings. To give them a sense of well being in our company, it is important that the relationship is structured so that horses do not feel oppressed by our might, but rather feel empowered by our presence.

If you want to learn to understand the nature of horses, you must approach them in a different way. If you want to have friendly conversations with them, you must meet them on an equal level. Only in that way will you be able to become part of their world, instead of coming as a conqueror, as one who wants to destroy.

A person who seeks to master horses will always resort to instruments of force. But one who understands that he is a guest in the horse' world realizes he has neither the right nor a reason to punish a horse, or to fight him. He does not issue commands, but rather makes an effort to learn something new with and from this animal, and to make his own presence as pleasant as possible to the horse. This basic politeness will change his behavior so radically that he will soon be accepted by the horses without reservation.

Togetherness is the foundation from which everything else proceeds. Togetherness - not hierarchy - puts us on the same level. Togetherness is the prerequisite for influencing each other from within the depths of our beings.

A horse's desires should count just as much as ours do, at least if we are talking about partnership and friendship. I do not enjoy feeling like a slave overseer among my horses. And we cannot be speaking of genuine unity if I must coerce them into it. Let us turn the question around: Would you have fun at something to which you were forcefully dragged? Why even consider applying this pressure to my horse or myself? These days no one and nothing demands that we must ride. Instead of forcing my horse, I will sit in the grass and play with my dog, or think of something else to do.

Freedom - this feeling comes from within and so can hardly be identified by external trappings. A halter or a bridle can mean to my horse, "Oh no! I'm going to be annoyed again' or "Great! Now we'll finally get going! I've waited all day for you!" We must know how our horse is feeling and how he perceives a situation or thing before we can characterize him as "free". How does the horse feel as he is doing whatever-it-is? Can he find a way out? Does he have a choice, a genuine alternative?

Considerations on developing a new dialogue

Free space is what creates the possibility of a true dialog. The horse can leave or he can come, he can say "yes" or "no". We want the horse to sense his freedom, to feel it to realize it...the horse may, should and must be able to decide for himself freely, because it is only from a freely made decision that our very special kind of relationship can grow. We want to share pride, joy and time together with the horse, not force ourselves upon him.

There are many different ways to get a horse to comply with our wishes. What distinguishes them is the attitude and feelings of the participants. How is my horse doing with this? Why am I doing what I am doing? Does this action have anything to do with my horse, any meaning in the good sense of the word? Meaningless actions on the part of the person are a sure way to quickly lose a horse's motivation. Who among us enjoys being ordered around?

Recognizing the value of play

It is here, in the balance of the relationship between man and horse, that we find the beginnings of play. The equality of the partners is the basic requirement for fairness - the same opportunities and rights for all players. Our playing can be truly carefree only when things are fair.

If a person truly wants to play with a horse and relate to him as a partner, he must adhere to rules the two of them have both agreed upon. Otherwise the horse remains a plaything, a toy which the person merely uses to play out his own game.

Playing lets us grow closer because it overcomes differences - even when they are as great as between man and horse...Play removes the distance between us and lets us become one. We get a glimpse into the other's world of thoughts - even if the other is an animal - because play conquers even the boundaries between species.

Considerations on playful work

Working together, working 'with', a horse is something different. I do not have an ideal form in mind into which I will try to mold my horse. After all, this is a living being standing here with me, not lifeless "material" that can and my be worked on as I please. The art of horsemanship as I understand it can only be an art dedicated to horses and must serve them, instead of human ambition, performance, or the entertainment of the masses. What we want is for a good enough connection to exist between person and horse so that understanding and harmony rule. We want a hierarchy-free, joyful atmosphere - the same atmosphere that exists when we play together. Only under these conditions can I offer a horse something new: aids that are truly helpful, and working with him, not on him. "Is there something you would like to improve? Are you perhaps not feeling well there?" From play we draw forth the energy and the self-confidence to confront such sore points. A horse needs courage for this, even perhaps, enthusiasm.

There is much that I have to leave for you to read from the book itself, these are just a few of the many incredible insights contained in this book. Also, I have run out of time and am not able to highlight some of the exercises Imke Spilker has learned from the horses which facilitate greater freedom, proud and lofty balance and the joy of expression, and anyhow, these things are better viewed in the book with the benefit of the excellent and detailed photos she shares of how her horses came to develop these exercises and the changes they have brought to the horses way of movement and pleasure in "working".

First we learn from this book how to change ourselves, and from that we learn from the horses how best to proceed into new ways of interaction, better ways of developing communication which lead to explorations of better carriage and movement...all throughout which we are guided and measured by the horses' responses, as Imke notes, "The nicest thing about this work is that we finally have a pure, incorruptible standard for evaluating the quality of our actions: our horse's approval. His enthusiasm grows, he becomes more and more madly eager to move, to collect, he takes over the arena...all showing me that my work cannot be so very wrong."

This is the gift of learning "their" way, this is the splendor of Empowered Horses!