Whether we are training, breeding, or assessing talent, it's essential to remember one crucial aspect: the perspective of Mother Nature.
Our endeavors to mold horses into disciplined performers necessitate a delicate balance between their innate instincts and the human-controlled environments we provide. These environments, which I often referred to as "classrooms," demand that we align the sensory and psychological needs of horses with the learned behavior requirements of various disciplines. We have to be sure that the horse is going to be capable of handling the emotional demands that will be asked of it, while the demands are being sculpted.
As is reflected in my sensory soundness scoring chart, which is available in the reference guide, both here on this blog page and on YouTube, when we delve into the intricacies of nurturing and developing our equine friends, it becomes evident that teaching them effectively hinges on understanding their vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities serve as a natural binding force among horses, enabling them to learn from one another in their native environment. It follows then that the more sensory sound a horse is, the closer it is to what I refer to as Independent Nature. This concept, which I delve into further in lecture course one of "A View from The Hoof" (*see Education section) suggests that horses with fewer vulnerabilities require less external guidance for their psychological growth and learned behaviors.
However, this inherent self-sufficiency can pose challenges in the context of domestication. Horses with lower vulnerability levels are positioned at a higher herd level in the natural order, making them less inclined to rely on humans for instruction. Consequently, traditional, and commonly accepted training methods may struggle to employ these horses effectively as they do not engage their psychological growth patterns properly.
In essence, different disciplines within equine training demand varying degrees of vulnerability from the horse. The suitability of a training method hinges on the horse's innate predispositions and the alignment of these traits with the requirements of the discipline in question. This includes the degree of their sensory soundness as each of the 6 zones of emotional sensitivities and alignment play an intricate role in how the horse is emotionally connected with their physical world. A connection through which physical expression is driven.
While this discussion merely scratches the surface of the complexities involved in nurturing and enriching the mind of the herd-wired horse, it underscores the importance of acknowledging and working within the parameters of Mother Nature's design. By understanding and respecting their natural inclinations, we can develop better and more productive, less emotionally traumatic coaching and handling methodologies that foster mutual understanding and cooperation between ourselves and the horses we love.
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*You can also listen to me narrate what you just read as soon as it goes live on our YouTube channel!
I’m Kerry Thomas and until next time, Be the Bridge, Not the Block!
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