Beyond the Stable
Situated in gently rolling hills and prairies, the Village of Barrington Hills is an equine paradise with sprawling meadows and over 100 miles of contiguous riding trails. Steeped with rural character and country living, it is the home to many families that own and care for horses. It is also home to the Riding Club of Barrington Hills, a 300-member organization of volunteers dedicated to preserving and expanding local bridle paths. Encountering horses throughout this unique village reminds us that we can learn not only from each other, but also from these large creatures that have served us well throughout the centuries.
For people who love animals, and especially horses, Barrington Hills is the ideal place for someone like my childhood friend, Gail, to live. Gail introduced me to horses when we were about 9. Her room was a shrine with horse posters on the wall and plastic equine replicas in various poses ready to frolic through the shag carpet meadow. She adored these animals so much that for her birthday, she wanted to go horseback riding. Being her best friend at the time, I was obliged to follow.
When we arrived at the local county park stable, I felt excited and eager to learn how to ride until Gail’s dad returned with a horse that had taken him for an unexpected jaunt through the briers, leaving bloody scratches on his forehead. It took all of the courage I could muster to get on the large animal that I had been given for the next 30 minutes.
While the horse I was riding didn’t drag me through the briers, it must have known I was mortified. Questions raced through my head. Why did the other horse take off? What would my horse do? Would I be safe?
As I considered my horseback riding experiences since Gail’s birthday, I realized that beyond the sport of it all, horses can teach us to slow down and reconnect with our own gentle nature.
Firsthand knowledge
I witnessed the loving determination and peaceful patience of horses and trainers working in unison while visiting with Barrington Hills horse trainers who work at the Hooved Animal Rescue & Protection Society (HARPS) and Moondance Ranch. Using a natural approach, trainers carefully let their students know what they expected by putting pressure on and taking it off by using eye contact, body language, and words rather than whips, spurs, or brute force. Good communication is the first step.
A horse’s language
While horses don’t talk, they do “whinny” greetings to friends and family. They feel separation anxiety when they are removed from a herd and sadness when a friend or relative dies. At one stable, a horse may be the alpha (lead) while at another stable a different horse may hold this position. Herd structures change with leadership. Leadership changes with respect. Horses observe others and select leaders who are perceived to be intelligent and strong regardless of size. As an alpha horse ages, a younger, more aggressive horse may challenge its leadership and attempt to take charge. Horses observe others and select leaders that demonstrate strength and fairness in the way they treat others.
Horses respond to body language, which then reflects their personality. Timid horses prefer a slower, gentle approach, while bold horses welcome a confident rider. “You learn to tailor your personality to the way you approach others,” said Ronda Ewing of HARPS, adding that “companionship is better derived from a mutual understanding.”
Working together
While visiting HARPS this fall, I watched Ronda guide a mustang stallion named Elko Dann to move different directions, jump over obstacles, and even lie down. In February 2003, a privately funded roundup assisted by the Bureau of Land Management went awry, and Elko Dann was captured just outside of Elko, Nev., along with his herd of nine mares, which would eventually be trained and sold. Being an older stallion, Elko Dann was not a candidate for an adoption program and would have met an uncertain fate in a holding facility if not for the intervention of Ronda.
Taking Elko Dann to California where she was living and working at the time, Ronda used the natural approach to earn this stallion’s respect. She was able to begin riding him four months later. Within 13 months of his capture, Ronda had nurtured a relationship with Elko Dann that would allow her to ride him in the San Juan Capistrano Swallows Day Parade, one of the largest equine parades in the country.
In May 2004, Elko Dann accompanied Ronda to the HARPS farm where he resides now. At the beginning of their session, Ronda stepped toward Elko Dann to gently touch and encourage him, rewarding him with affection to maintain a healthy comfort level that she has striven to nurture over the past seven years. As she stepped away, Elko Dann realized it was time to get to work and began to run in a perfect circle inside the outdoor arena. With her eyes focused on his hip and a slight movement of a hand holding a guiding red rod pointed toward his shoulder, Ronda indicated that she expected him to change direction without a word or touch, and the horse responded accordingly. As he approached the jump, he trotted past. He was not moving fast enough to clear it and selected the easy route. Ronda had her back to Elko Dann to show that she was not pressuring him to jump, as she understood it was important for him to warm up. Elko Dann completed another loop.
Ronda turned toward her trainee and told him to get going with a calm, but firm tone, quickening her own gait to hasten him forward. This time, Elko Dann cantered up to the jump and went over with ease. He just needed a little pressure; too much pressure, and he might act inappropriately. Horses do not function well under constant pressure. Few living creatures do.
After a couple more jumps, Elko Dann returned to Ronda’s side for her kind words and gentle touch, illustrating the power of love over the fear-based domination practiced by those who “break” wild horses. While the unnatural approach is still used by some today, natural horsemanship has become more recognized in western equestrian circles and is gaining ground in the eastern and English equitation communities.
Valuable relationships
Moondance Ranch owner and horse trainer Paddy McKevitt of Barrington Hills started using the natural approach seven years ago after suffering serious accidents and tense moments with the horses he trained. His newfound approach improved his relationship with horses, and it enabled Paddy to overcome personal struggles beyond the stable. Extolling the work of Tom Dorrance, author of True Unity: Willing Communication between Horse and Human, Paddy and Ronda embody the loving leadership this successful horse trainer and author has advocated inside and outside of the ring.
Natural training is rooted in the humanity of treating others as you wish to be treated. “It’s not just the horse,” said Paddy. “You truly look at things from a different perspective. It teaches you to be patient, look at what’s positive, and build on that — your perspective on life changes.” Leaving headstrong ways for small triumphs and addressing challenges rather than becoming frustrated by them, Paddy was inspired by his equine trainees to replace resentment with acceptance, ego with self-inventory, and coercion with patience.
Paddy introduced me to Romeo, a 16-year-old roan quarter horse that lived in a pasture but was never ridden. The horse’s eyes were wide and his legs were shifty. He had been with Paddy for two weeks, but looked at me with trepidation as I put out my hand. When Paddy started working with him, the horse refused any human touch. Now Romeo walked beside Paddy, followed directions, and let me pat his nose.
“The key is to get what you know you can get, then move forward,” said Paddy. “I have no fear of failing and enjoy when the horse doesn’t do what I’m asking [because] it makes me look at myself and how to re-present things that I want.” Paddy doesn’t try to fix a problem with a horse, but focuses on building a positive relationship and encourages the owner to watch and participate. “This [change] is more trying for the people than the horses [because] it’s a completely different way of thinking than they’re used to,” said Paddy. “It’s like dancing through this super-soft ballet. You can’t be frustrated, you have to be creative.”
At HARPS, volunteer Robin Shafer brought out a young tobiano paint mare, a breed known for its brown and white spotted patterns, that had been rescued from a place where it had been starved and beaten. A beautiful horse with the disposition of a lamb, the mare had responded to the transforming love of Ronda and Robin, much like the roan quarter horse had responded to Paddy. As Robin and Ronda took turns working with her, the mare came to me (a stranger) for pat-on-the-back breaks, quelling any residual fears I carried about horses, and accepted me as a friend. “She would make the perfect horse for a little girl,” Robin said.
Perhaps someone like my childhood friend, Gail, will adopt this mare and take her for rides. This is why Gail loved horses! Now I was learning to love them, too, but for another reason. From these visits, I was privy to a glimpse of the inspiration that can come from another creature — a magnificent being with no sense of time, but a heart full of love and a desire to trust those who are willing to earn it.
Be a Natural Horse Person
Take lessons with a seasoned professional. “Let experience be your guide,” said Ronda, who started riding when she was 4.
- Approach a horse quietly and slowly. Horses have highly tuned senses and can readily detect fear, anger, and aggression.
- Be a friend. Be gentle and loving, but maintain respect.
- Take the lead. Instead of reacting, help the horse feel safe.
- Put pressure on and pressure off. Don’t make constant demands on the horse or lose patience if the horse doesn’t always do exactly what you want. “Reward the slightest try,” Paddy said.
- Spend time on both sides of the horse. Because the horse has a split brain, it can become surprised by something on its right side even though it may have seen it on its left.
- Raise your voice to offer praise. Slightly lower your voice to let the horse know you mean business.
- If you want the horse to pick up the pace, express energy through your movements.
- Spend quality time with your horse, instructing, leading, and training with a soft and gentle approach. “Don’t break their spirit,” Ronda said.
- Keep your horse as close to nature as possible. It is recommended that you ride your horse at least five times per week and letting it spend time in a paddock when it is not being ridden.
- If you notice the horse licking and gently chewing, he’s saying “I understand” and “I want to be with you,” Paddy said.
Before You Buy a Horse
- Volunteer at a local stable. “Make sure you understand how much it entails,” Paddy said.
- Learn the basics of horse care at the barn where you ride. Build a warm horse-friendly shelter and a big enough fence to enclose 2-3 acres of land for the horse to roam. Call HARPS at 847-382-0503 to schedule a visit and get ideas.
- Decide what kind of horse will best suit your needs. Thoroughbreds tend to be athletic, but high strung and delicate. Quarter horses are generally more calm, quiet, and level-headed. Draft horses are better suited for pulling than riding, as they tend to be big, calm, slow, and quiet. Warm-blooded European horses, a combination of thoroughbreds and draft horses, are good sport horses for jumping and dressage.
- For a beginner rider, consider “a middle aged to older horse (age 10 – 18) with lots of experience, proven to be pretty quiet,” Paddy said.
- Get acquainted with the horse. Take a ride in a ring and another on a nearby trail. Ask your veterinarian to visit the horse before you purchase it.
- Have other animals (such as a goat, pig, or pony) to keep the horse company.