It Takes 2 to Tangle!

Horses and Humans are reaction machines!  

 

Recently my young horse Grace and I have been getting our knickers into a proverbial knot when working on the lunge and doing our parelli game of the 8 shape around obstacles.  This got me wondering what I need to do differently.  How and why have we been getting into this predictable pattern of speed and adrenalin and how can we get out of it? 

The most natural thing to do when confronted with a difficult horse or difficult situation is to react - to act without thinking.  This goes something like this...

Option No. 1: Meet Fire with Fire!

When Grace decides to do cartwheels on the lunge line or gallop round me doing her 'wall of death' impression - it's tempting to 'give her a taste of her own medicine' and say 'go on then if you want to run - let's see you move', and chase after her.   The only problem is that I don't want her injured, I can't hold onto 689 kilos of horse and neither of us learn anything of value in the process. 

Grace has taught me that escalation is rarely a helpful strategy! 

Option No. 2: Give in!

Deploy the opposite strategy and give in!  However, this feels like being held to ransom in a negotiation as the bad guy who won't say 'yes' to the deal on the table!  Giving in usually results in an unsatisfactory feeling in your gut the next day.  Worse it can reward and reinforce your horse's unwanted behaviour and cement you as being a "push over".

Giving in 'just this once' rarely works long term.  If every interaction with our horse is a training session - the question becomes who is training whom?  Grace is teaching me how NOT to be an appeaser,  to not give up now and HOPE it'll all be better tomorrow!'

(Note to self: an appeaser is someone who keeps throwing a tiger a steak, believing the tiger will eventually become a vegetarian)!

Option No. 3: Cool off!

A third reaction is to break off relations, walk away, have a mutual 'cool down' period.  The more I try to find that elusive space called the 'present' the more I am able to chose this option before deploying either of the other two, above!

I have found that 'coming back another day' is an appropriate strategy some days especially if other horses also seem to be wound up with something clearly 'in the air' adding to their distraction.

It is also useful if I need to assess what I had asked of Grace and was it reasonable?  Cool off may not mean back to the stable we go, but it can mean 'do something else' before returning to the original task in hand.

On the few occasions where I have cooled off by putting Grace literally back in her stable (usually accompanied by feelings of anger or deflation),  I've regretted it.  Leaving things without giving it a chance hasn't worked for me.   All it guarantees is that I haven't taken the time to work out her behaviour or its cause, and 'starting back over again' next time out, is mentally exhausting.  Not having enough physical time to be with our horse (working to an agenda or tight time line) can reinforce this as an unhelpful reaction.

So where does this leave us? 

According to Newton's Law 'for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction' - but this applies to objects not minds.  Minds can chose how we react!

To find the mental space needed for our minds to chose a reaction between cause and effect; stimulus and response I recommend we look to the opera!

In my work as a sports coach I help people find ways to step back, collect their wits, and see the situation objectively.  So, as soon as it all starts to go wrong with your horse, imagine that you are on a stage.  Then imagine yourself climbing onto a balcony overlooking the stage.  (The "balcony" acting a metaphor for rising above the situation).  From the balcony you can calmly evaluate whats going on, think deliberately and identify possible next steps and solutions.  It allows us to move away from our natural impulses and emotions of reaction.  It keeps us present and mindful.

Watching a new trainer work with Grace last week was a great reinforcement of three important MUST DO's for me to follow BEFORE I react to anything she throws my way. Three things that will help us break out of our current pattern of high speed triple salchows!

MUST Do No. 1) Be Black and White! 

How I ask something is just as important as what I ask.   Ask or don't ask!  When I get a try - stop asking or it sounds like I'm nagging.  If I don't get what I asked for then ask again.  I have to communicate using my whole body, as tone, facial expressions and body language are more important than words.

MUST Do No. 2) Say 'YES' as often as I can!

Yes is a magic word in untangling!  It means acknowledgement. It gives validation and recognition for what is going on for my horse, in that moment.   "Yes that was a nice try" "Yes you can run but do you want to..." "Yes I do mean it".  "Yes, that's the trot I wanted, thank you" etc.  Bottom line SAY YES AS OFTEN AS I CAN!

MUST Do No. 3) Follow the bible Dictum:

 "be quick to hear what the horse is showing you, be slow to speak and slow to act"

Give it time.  Our new trainer has a 12 minute rule.  After which if things aren't going to plan its time to re-think!   Grace didn't need the 12 minute rule to come into play and I was both relieved and surprised.  With me, she tends to stone wall me!  Meaning she tests constantly what I'm asking of her, checking if I'm for real!  Now I can see that by convincing her in as short a period of time as possible she stops challenging me about "if I mean what I'm saying"!

Being aware of progress, watching what she was offering us, judging nothing, and taking the time to stay with it - all proved to work for both Grace and her fan club - me and her new trainer!

It seems easy to find ourselves in a tangle with our horse.  It isn't always easy to untangle.  Find your 'go to the balcony' (or equivalent) and pay close attention to what your current habits are, in order to de-mystify the cycle of reaction you find yourself in, to break free, and to find another way.

Related Blogs:

How to Be Present

Do Horses Understand Us?

How To BE Present!

I still struggle with 'how to be present'.  Then yesterday while working with Grace I had an important lesson in some of the basic ingredients. 

Here are some tips and 'take aways' from our attempts to lunge amidst an overdose of chaos breaking out around us...


Being present means...

1.    Having command of my mind

2.    Courage to think

3.    Not rushing or hurrying

4.    Being deliberate in my thinking

5.    Doing simple acts with deliberation

6.    Taking one step at a time

7.    Paying attention to the little details

8.    Following the movement of my body (mindfulness)

9.    Taking the time to choose what to do versus reacting automatically

It's not easy to change old habits over night but it can be easy to learn new ones!  If we begin by doing more of the everyday acts of life,  like picking up things off the floor, getting dressed, or eating our food, with more deliberate thought AND without hurry, we'll have 2 core ingredients in the bag!

"Essys wishes" has at the core, the need for us 'horsey' humans to raise our levels of awareness and be more alert in order that we can be more in tune with our horses and their needs.

Or put another way (in ways that I can relate to) his message is about encouraging us to "have our wits about us" which might be an easier concept to identify with.  It's an especially useful habit to have in times of stress.  I'm not saying that riding and working with horses is stressful, but when it is our minds tend to stop operating so well. Suddenly there's 6 degrees of separation between us and our horse and if this happens when we are in the saddle - we can quickly find ourselves on the floor wondering what happened!

As I'm planning on being back in the saddle soon, its on my mind to practice the art of being present  before getting on.  That means, on days like yesterday, being able to quickly change my 'plan' and NOT take 20 minutes of being disconnected from my horse before waking up and THEN making a change to what I'm actually doing!

(I am reminding myself of the definition of insanity: 

'continuing to do the things I've always done expecting a different result!)

Twenty minutes can be a long time waiting for our brain to catch up with life - precious time where we risk losing our horses' trust and willingness in the wait for us to wake up and play another tune!

So, it makes sense to be present and if we aren't - then where are we? With such beautiful creatures in front of us why would we chose to be anywhere except right here alongside them, savoring every moment?

Do Horses Understand Us?

"IF ONLY HE COULD TALK..." 

 

"I WISH I KNEW HOW HE FELT"

 

"IF ONLY HE UNDERSTOOD ME!"

If only I had a pound (£) for every time I've heard these words said, or have uttered them myself - I'd be a wash with the lovely little coins!

Yet the truth is that horses do talk; loud and clear.  They do try to tell us how they feel and they seem to understand us in more ways than imaginable.

Think about it... our horses don't communicate using words in the same we that we do, yet they sense our intention, and they definitely know when they have pleased or displeased us, and when our reprimand of them is fair or unfair!  To consider how this works, lets remember how we communicate human to human?  

Studies carried out in the 70's show that using words forms only 7% of how we effectively get our message across to other humans.  This must be good news for the horse-human relationship suggesting the words we use aren't important so no need to pack your horse off to English classes!  But Lets not use 'they don't speak English' as an excuse to think they don't understand us!

The research concluded that 'tone of voice' accounts for nearly 40% of how we exchange information (we have plenty of evidence of its effectiveness when we lunge our horses),  and then the final component; body language, makes up over half of how we get our message across, human to human.

So if the bulk of communication and understanding between humans is not achieved through speech or words it opens up the possibility that other tools of communication COULD well be effective with other species just as it is with us. Meaning we are getting our message across to our horse whether we realise it or not!

Horses in particular, being such 'feel' responsive animals must be able to "get us" when so much of our thoughts are expressed through our tone of voice, gestures and facial expressions.  Many of us walk around like an open book!

In summary it seems that the foundation of horse and human communication is the same: feeling (emotions, sensing, touch) and body language.

In the 6 months since Margrit visited Essy I now believe horses understand us in more ways than even the obvious ones.  I have come to think that they can read our minds and even sense strong imagery that we hold in our heads.  I have reason to believe they listen to something beyond our words and pick up on our spirit; be it grounded, insecure, restless, happy or at a loss.

I have many unanswered questions that have lead me to believe this as a result of Essy's talk with Margrit.  For example, how did Essy know what my day job is in specific detail, he doesn't follow me to work.  I didn't discuss it with Margrit either.  How did he know I do public speaking?  How did he know one of my aspirations (only my best friend who lives in America knows it)?  How did Margrit know I had been eating cup cakes at the yard before her visit (which Essy mentioned to her)?  How is it when he had a hole in his forehead, each time I asked him not to move so I could clean it or pick out hairs he stood like a statue - without a head collar, lead, not even tied up?  How did he know to stand still for those few moments?

I could write an essay on the examples I have that tell me that Essy notices EVERYTHING I do and somehow knows what is in my head, heart, or both.

When Essy digs his feet in and won't go into his stable I no longer pull, push, urge, encourage or scold.  I stand quietly and visualise a big carrot in his stable.  I hold that image and stay still.  Next thing you know he walks voluntarily in - then I dash off to quickly find a carrot!  I've also done this bringing him in from the field.  

I hesitantly shared my new found point of view with a friend who in turn told me that when she tried to catch her horse in the field, and he walked off the other way, she changed her thoughts away from catching him, to "let me help you with those flies on your face" and suddenly he walked up to her.

Essy is so verbose some days that he nods and shakes his head when you ask him a question or make an observation out loud.  He backs off when he doesn't want touching.  He leans in to you when he does.  He shakes his head as if saying "no, no, no" when he wants to stand still.  When I graze him and record my blog thoughts and ideas into my I-phone recorder, I hear him snorting at key points when I play it back later that day.   Just as he did when Margrit met him and they had their mind melt kind of thing (see the video of their meeting)!

If you want to test out horse human communication for yourself, I recommend when you next spend 'non riding' time with your horse - notice the moments when he snorts, exhales, shakes his head, nods or gets your attention in some way,  and then ask yourself 'what you were thinking or saying' aloud or to yourself,  exactly at that moment!

My dear old mum spent August sitting with Essy for 4 hours at a time while he was on box rest.  The yard staff and myself have been amazed that for 4 hours she simply sat there chatting to him. He in turn stood by her, seemingly listening, head over her shoulder. When he moved off to snack on hay, he didn't take his eyes of her.  When she got up to brew a cuppa he was at his stable door watching her. The bond they have developed through this quality time together (without agenda) - just spending time together doing nothing, has created a bond tighter than air fix glue! (I do worry what stories mother has told him in their long chats .... no doubt if Margrit re-visits I'll find out)!

There is no doubt he changed after Margrit visited.  Its as if he has had a huge 'weight lifted off his shoulders' by talking to her.  It is as if he has a new sense of self confidence and his level of trust in life, myself, and others, has grown beyond explanation.

As a result of my observations I have some new rules I follow:-

1.  Tell Essy (Solar and Grace) every day how much I love and admire them

2.  Tell them that I want the best for them and ask if they need anything at the moment - and see what if anything, comes to me as a thought, sense or image.

3.  Be very careful what I say in-front of / around them.  Especially avoiding saying anything negative, critical or scary.

4. Apologise for anything I know I should do so for.

5. Thank them!  For anything and everything. Especially for trying their best for me.

In Margrit's books she offers many additional ideas for communicating with your horse.  When I am away from home for a day or more I send my love to my horses visualising it passing down a silver thread to the chest of each of them, coming out of my own chest.  I send love to them.  I asked Margrit to send her healing love to Essy when he was recently on box rest.

I am no longer afraid to feel (rather than think all the time)

I am no longer worried about if 'this stuff' works or not or if  I'm going a bit 'daft'

I don't believe I have any special skills like telepathy etc. The truth is I don't think we need to.  We just need to feel, to want to be all that we can be for our horses (our personal best), to trust ourselves, and to deliberately take moments each day to just revel in our horse's spirit.  To soak them up and love every cell of their being.  

It is also time to quit saying we don't understand our horses or wish they understood us! 

They do!

Observation feeds intuition and instinct.  Trust builds the more we are in tune with our instinct and intuition.  We notice more, witness more of what life and horses have to offer, which in turn fuels a deeper level of understanding.  Once we are on this path, there's no turning back!

Overall, it's very cool! 

Are Horses Intuitive?

A 'timely' Bank Holiday chat!

I spent time tonight, with a fellow livery hand grazing our horses enjoying the last rays of a balmy august evening, the sun setting in a dusky pink surround.

Out of the blue she commented on how "happy" she thought her horse was. Not that she believed he was normally unhappy, "but" she went on to explain it "wasn't a look, or anything in particular it was just a feeling... a sense that at this moment in his life he was particularly content".

I was struck with the timeliness of her words given that I've spent time today considering if horses are intuitive. Now, here was a lady explaining her own intuition at work.

Maybe that's how it works this intuition thing - we simply get a sense about someone, something, or a place that informs us - for no reason other than we believe it to be the case, with or without evidence to back it up. When we get that sense it sits right, it feels right, it resonates as true and we speak it as if it is so. That is intuition at work.

Are horses capable of a similar process? Why ever not? Our dogs wait at home by the front door apparently sensing when we are about to return. Cats are renown for sensing our negative emotion and absorbing it to help relieve our emotional pain.  So why on earth couldn't a domesticated horse, whose life is so entwined with ours and who is so 'plugged into nature' - not possess similar intuitive ability?

Do horses have hunches?  I'm not the expert. I am sure they sense our 'intention'; they know if someone's intent is positive, loving, helpful or not as they approach!  They seem to know when we are there to help them - if tied up in a fence line, snarled in a rug strap, or in physical pain.

They know when to be careful, even slow moving and gentle around young children, or the elderly.  Even the arrival of a puppy or kitten on a yard can bring out the 'delicate side' of a strapping warm blood!

So how do we explain an apparent change in character of a normally flighty, spooky horse into one calm enough to carry a 3 year child?

I'm sure there are some who would suggest horses are creatures of great observation, nothing more than that.  I would agree with that view point, as any prey animal will need strong powers of observation to survive. I don't subscribe to it being the whole story though - although who is to say that intuition is nothing more than 'high' powers of observation? 

Essy 2010

I'm not advocating that horse intuition is something ethereal or mystical.

On the one hand I think that because they operate with a wonderful simplicity, being present, living moment to moment and not worrying about later today, or next week, does help them to pick up on vibes, energy or whatever it is that informs intuition, being it is a very in the moment event.

Being in such a consistent space, responding to what's in front of them now, must free up mental capacity leaving space for intuitive skills to develop.  I suspect this is why so many of us (unlike our horses) are so out of touch with our intuition - having comparatively less 'free mental disc space' in our brains.

Surely intuition in a horse is no less probable than the phenomena of deaf or blind people reporting heightened acuity in other functioning senses, or elephants sensing water through vibrations in their feet.

Up to date research has now proved that human thoughts can be measured and are known to have a physical 'strength' - tangible and quantifiable.  Therefore it seems that pretty much any living organism (including plants) sense vibrational energy in words, thoughts and intent.

Given that all 'things' are actually moving and vibrating (see movie What the Bleep) with more space in them than actual matter - it's no big stretch of the imagination to consider horses pick up on all these vibrations and use their intuition to respond.

We too, have the same ability (dormant or active) if we want to see beyond the obvious and look at the spaces between the notes!

"Simples"... Right?

Being respons-able...

I was thinking of counting up how much I spend on my horses well-being then comparing it to how much I spend on my own well-being.  Tee hee!  Of course the answer is a lot on them, and not much on me!  I'll justify the delta with well thought out excuses such as priorities, and how horses can't provide for themselves, and money doesn't grow on trees etc. etc.

Yet horses do provide for themselves, and do take care of their needs quite naturally, if given the freedom to do so.  How? By responding to their physical, and emotional needs; moment by moment.  This is one of their greatest gifts they offer us, as our teachers, if we are willing to follow their lead.

This is my view of how 'being responsible' (able to respond to one's needs) looks through the eyes of the horse:-

They run when they need to run

They stop running when they have no further need to run

They sunbathe when they can

They huddle up when they want warmth

They seek out company if desired

They eat when the can, as much as they need

They lie down when they want to - not obeying any sleep patterns or time of day 

They have fun and play when they get the urge

They breed if they want to

They nip 'family' disagreements in the bud 
They follow their desires to scratch and groom as needed (see photo below)

Grace and her friend Romi "When needs must"- no time for the rider to dismount - scratching needed now!

Of course horses don't have bills to pay, jobs to hold down, committee positions to fulfil, but for most of us the extent to which we have these duties is optional -mostly we've  chosen to do them, they aren't forced upon us. Even working doesn't have to be for the long hours we habitually perform!

Unlike our horses, most of us are so busy being busy that we forget to look after ourselves.  How do you nurture yourself, what does it mean to you? Does a hot bath and candles once a month really suffice?

What do you crave and dream of?  A time in your life where you can do less or be needed by fewer people? More  quality 'down' time?  An afternoon nap? Fewer chores and tasks to do? Less pressure and obligation? More peace and quiet? Time to think...?

Many of us with horses dream of having more time with them, to enjoy them, watch them graze and chill. It can feel at times as though our horses already understand the importance of 'just being' and are waiting for us to catch on and catch up!

It can be hard to figure out how to live 'metaphorically' like a horse, if they are our teachers.  Never mind incorporate their philosophy into a regular lifestyle for oneself. Living in our constant state of 'busyness' it's not surprising we find ourselves in a mid life crisis at 40, wanting to join a commune, live on a kibbutz, or vanish into some mountainous retreat; all in the name of finding ourselves!

Spotting the signals that we need more self nurturing can be difficult until it's too late. Being hard to spot, in part explains how we get so burnt out and exhausted feeling life is nothing more than an existence with days repeating themselves endlessly and pointlessly.  How do we re-ignite the child-like spark of new imagination and desire, that we had as children?

For starters why not imagine life to be as honest as that of a wild horse?  How might that look? Could you imagine living your life...

- moving about at a consistent pace throughout the day, with less dashing about and manic ticking off of impossibly long 'to do' lists?

- grazing throughout the day on simple food, whats easily available and ready to hand - as and when hungry, a little and often?

- giving yourself permission to snooze when you get home for half an hour before cooking dinner?

- spending time with others only if you want to and it re-charges your energy?
-being more honest about your needs to ourselves and others without seeking approval?

- making an effort to clear out commitments from your diary, creating space to do more of what you want to do?

- dealing with things in the moment and not letting them escalate?

- lighting candles not only when you have time for a bath?

- not being a slave to phones, emails, alerts and texts?

- opening bills only once a week to keep them in perspective?

Finally, we could take lists like the one above, rip them up and put them in the bin.  Then go quiet and ask ourselves the important question... "What would I LIKE to do right now?"  "What do I NEED to do... (or not do) - in this moment?

When we realise that living a responsible life is about being able to respond to our needs, moment by moment (just like our horses) and not fulfiling lists, then we live a more healthy and balanced life. We become less resentful of others, bitter about our jobs, angry about life, responding like a victim or martyr.  Who knows we could become a joy to live with and enjoy life more in the process. 

If you share your life with an animal or pet - watch them for ten minutes as they sleep, rest, play or graze, and feel the nurturing effect of just watching them and taking pleasure from the simplicity of the moment and how for them, it is all there is to do - in that moment!

One of the lessons Grace shared with Margrit is that we all have the kernel of peace inside us and new habits form just like small seeds i.e. from small beginnings.  We already have the answers right in front of us.  Right now I SHOULD be cooking dinner but instead I WANTED to put these thoughts together before attending to domestic duties, so that I am in a better place to do so when I get into the kitchen.

Let's hope its a good decision ....or it's going to be a long evening and a disappointing dinner!

Essy (center stage) with Solar Sue 'chilling'

Why our heads DON'T rule our hearts!

At a  Riding Camp near Hickstead this week I was invited to offer horse riders help with every day issues including a fear of falling off, nerves, forgetting dressage tests and 'rushing everything' with our horses.  (Although no-one was rushing the strawberry tarts...delicious!)

Getting smart about how our brain works included facts about hormones and the impact of different hormones and emotions on our ability to make smart decisions, solve problems, concentrate, remember and be emotionally resilient.  Using the Heart Math technology gave individuals the chance to see the impact of breathing techniques on physiology, mental state and heart rate changes.  It was like a scene from ER or Casualty!

If it is said, that an absence of disease ISN'T health, then an absence of feeling stressed doesn't mean we AREN'T.  Many of us live in an unnaturally state of constant stress (measurable with the HeartMath tools) which can be quite a shock when we first see it, visibly as our own heart rate.  Realising we live with an unnatural (and unsustainable) level of stress can explain why things don't go our way when we ride: remember horses can feel our pulse through our leg!

Fortunately seeing our heart rate form sharp peaks and spikes as under stress or anxiety is usually all it takes to create an impetus for change and to take seriously what we mentally do to ourselves during everyday life.

It can catapult us into being honest with ourselves for the first time in a long time!

Without honesty about the mental habits we have developed and why we have relied on them, we don't find the solutions to help combat them.  Curious? Have a look at the following questions and answer them honestly:

* how many thoughts do you have in a typical day?
* what percentage are negative?
* how quickly (in seconds) do negative thoughts grab a hold of your mind and body?
* can you recognise negative thought patterns BEFORE they take hold?
* how often (in a day) are you angry?
* how often does 'what you think' predict the outcome? Example ever thought... "I knew he'd run out at that fence..." and he did!?

Most of us aren't conscious of the above until we stop and consider it. In other words we go through each waking day, fast asleep not awake at all. (The re-occurring theme of Essy's message about humans needing to become more aware).

Personally I don't teach or preach positive thinking.  Most people's brains spot the clumsy attempt to trick ourselves with fake positive thoughts. Secondly, our thoughts have much less impact than our emotions do, on our physiology, heart rate and ultimately our cognitive ability to ride well.

As proof in point, the brain performs better by 37% when we feel positive versus negative or stressed (no mention of thinking positively).

Additionally, something most of us don't know is that when it comes to neurons running back and forth between our brain and our heart, we are lead to believe that it is the brain that drives us; acting as our central control centre.  If this is true then it would make sense to focus our self improvement efforts on changing our thoughts.  However, there are more neuron pathways travelling north from our heart to our brains, than vice verse.  So our ability to feel positive or remember positive feelings is far more powerful in creating focus, solving problems, making decisions and remembering our way round a jumping course!

It seems to have taken a while to embrace what's been known to us all along, as evidenced in the many old expressions about the heart. So if your heart is set on getting back on a horse after a fall, if you have learned by heart your dressage test, and if you have a change of heart about hacking out today - you'll be in good stead if you let your brain listen to your heart, and do as your heart tells you!

a change of heart

for the feint-hearted

half-hearted

change of heart

best interest at heart

heart in the right place

heart isn't in it

know by heart

learn by heart

not have the heart to do

heart in one's mouth

heart is set against

heart is set on

put heart and soul into

take to heart

young at heart

Sweet Itch - sorted?

For the last decade, since moving to the UK Essy has lost tail hair each year, during the month of May.  It grows back in September.

He looses the hair at the top of his tail in a diamond shape.  Reluctantly I resigned myself to the fact that it must be a form of sweet itch.  (Strangely it's something I never noticed happening to him when we lived in America).  However what other explanation is there?

This May. Essy still had a neck full of winter coat so when he didn't begin to lose his tail hair I put it down to his entire coat going through a "confused.com" period!

However, even when his coat finally did shed, his tail hair didn't!

Today, his tail looks more beautiful than ever - worthy of a quick rear end shot taken this morning.
Weirdly a new layer of tail hair seems to have appeared across the top and in sharp contrast to the normal image at this time of year; namely a bald patch.

What's different?  Well his living environment has not changed. The only thing I can thing of is that since September last year, he has consistently been having a tonic by James Hart called Old Friend, added to his daily feed.  Could it be that sweet itch has some dietary basis or relationship? 

I do have other evidence to support my belief in the value and miracle of herbs and tonics when used to treat internal causes of external symptoms!

In September 2011 Essy broke out with a nasty attack of Uciteria.

For two months nothing helped him.  Steroids worked for only 3 days at a time then he would break out just as bad as before.  Skin tests revealed a horse allergic to most feeds (oats, barley etc) all dust, tons of mites, every spore and fungi known to a lab test kit  - even carrots (despite having eaten them for donkey's years before).

Vets told me to keep him in,  then turn him out but into a different paddock, keep him in on windy days, track the weather, keep him away from trees, sterilise his stable, replace every rug,  replace the grooming kit, buckets, bowls and put him onto paper bedding.  I did it all.  One change at a time and yet still nothing made a shred of difference.

By the end of October I was desperate and reached out to alternative therapies.  I booked an Iridology session for early November. This showed a very compromised immune system, stressed kidneys and under-functioning liver.  It also offered solutions to the problem i.e. herbs and James Hart tonics.

That night Essy started on the James Hart Liver Purify in his evening feed, and as much dry dandelion root, as he wanted, offered by hand.

After 4 days all the lumps had gone! 

Essy now has the liver purify as the seasons change - when the leaves open up and then drop off.  He has dandelion as a treat every other day.  The lumps have stayed away.

I can not think of any other evidence needed for me to be convinced that whilst herbs and tonics may not be the cure for all ills, and I'm not suggesting we all go around waving parsley and margarine at every problem, however, they are definitely on my short list of options when treating ailments in my horses or dogs.

As another example - on the last May Bank Holiday Monday at 8.45pm I got a call to say Essy had colic.  He's never had colic before so in a panic, I drove straight round.  He was being walked (reluctantly) around the yard.  His mouth was open, straining, as if trying to scream,  his muzzle tight and pinched.  He looked a very unhappy, uncomfortable boy.

I called the vet and while we waited I reached for my essential oils: Peppermint, Fennel and German Chamomile.  Within 20 minutes of offering him the oils to inhale, his muzzle relaxed and he had stopped opening his mouth in pain.  It got to the point where I thought about calling the vet back and saying 'hold your fire'.  However, better to be safe than sorry and so at 10pm she arrived and checked him out for an impaction. He was given the all clear.

Since then he's had an 'invasive examination' on 22nd July for his nose bleeds. The resulting hole drilled into his head, has healed at speed.  I won't show pictures of the hole (as it was bigger than I expected), but I can say that my biggest fears have been a) infection  b) proud flesh and a disbelief that a hole that size could close without stitches!

I've used specific oils to inhale (at his choosing) and Calendular Macerate onto the wound to manage all 3 concerns.  I will NEVER ever again be without Calendular Macerate for wounds and preventing proud flesh.  It has worked miracles in a very short period.   Here is the wound today just 3 weeks on - no proud flesh and there's been no discharge or infection or swelling.

I'm no 'push over' nor a closet hippy but if I hadn't seen these things with my own eyes I might be curious but not convinced.  Now I can say I am curious, convinced and confident in their help to any animal owner or care giver.

If this gets you curious look up some of the talented and gifted companies and individuals listed at the bottom, who aren't yet blessed by vets, which is such a shame. When I think how many horse owners struggle on, spending small fortunes, with veterinary treatments, as I did with Essy's Uciteria - without an adequate fix  - it's such a helpless feeling.

There seems to me to be no reason why vets can't sell tonics, herbs or oils too.  They don't need to see these tools as a threat. They compliment Vet science nicely.  There is after all, more to life than just things that can be proven in a lab or under X Ray. 

If you're still in doubt about the value of herbs - ask yourself why is the herb Valerian banned under FEI regulations?  Answer: because it works as a calmer and so therefore, YES it is seen as a performance enhancer.   Aren't we all missing the point however ....that it WORKS as a calmer! 


When two of my fellow yard liverys hacked out together at the weekend, one of them allowed her horse to stop and graze wild herbs in the hedgerows.  They both noticed how her horse selected very specifically what he wanted to eat and told me about it on their return.

Horses aren't greedy.  They will self regulate.  They will also self medicate if given the chance! It's up to us to at least offer them that chance.

If horses 'get it' why can't humans with all our intellect and powers of reasoning and science?!  I guess first we have to 'want' to get it and be willing to learn or UN-learn stuff that we have been too quick to accept and absorb as LAW.

My wish is that there's a future where we can throw out the rule book, and look beyond, below and above what Science alone offers us.

Essy Today Picking Off The Heads of Thistles

http://www.equineherbals.com/

http://www.naturallyanimals.co.uk/

http://www.thewildhealthshop.co.uk/