Horse Behavior Specialist
Licensed 2 Star Parelli Professional
www.nancyslater.com
20 / Sport and Trail Magazine
Horses and People are Alike in Some Ways
We like to feel safe. We feel safe at home, around family and friends (herdmates), knowing we are protected. We are emotional beings. Whether strong or weak in spirit, when something really bad happens, it changes us. Fear keeps us safe, but too much fear alters our ability to enjoy life as we once did.
People who experience trauma have to be helped to recover from it. Horses too. Sometimes mild, sometimes severe, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is real in horses and humans. At any time, a sight, sound, smell, feel, or taste, can subconsciously trigger a flight, fight, or freeze (even catatonic state) response in horses, just like it can in us. And it won't go away unless addressed. Through the Parelli method, I have learned how to open a communication line with horses, interpreting their actions caused by trauma, then helping them to head towards recovery, peace, and happiness.
Josh the mule had experienced trauma. He came from an unknown past, but when I purchased the 10 yo mule, I was unaware of how deep the trauma reached. Riding oftentimes was a nightmare. He would, without warning, blow up, running and bucking violently. He'd get frightened, but he also had an angry, defensive side too. Josh was not afraid of things, just people. I set out on a quest to help him settle down. My search led me to Parelli Natural Horsemanship which was about Horse (and mule) Behavior and Psychology. Although I was a good rider, I was definitely not a skilled horse psychologist! Linda Parelli was the one who helped me, using the Parelli Program, heal the mule with PTSD. Here is how it went down.
Day 1
Linda instructed me to go ahead and saddle up. As I went about my business of doing that simple task, my mule, Josh, braced stiffly as I approached, thinking nothing of his behavior. After all, he WAS standing still. Linda stopped me dead in my tracks. “Wait!” I looked at her, wondering why. “See if you can get him curious about the saddle first”, said Linda. But he could NOT relax and show curiosity towards the saddle, as it meant association with being ridden. How could I have missed THAT?!
Instead of riding, Linda had me take Josh into the round pen and turn him loose. She instructed me to quickly walk away from him. He just looked at me, so Linda had me turn slowly to look at his tail (zone 5). He stepped his hip over. I walked away again. The rules, Linda explained, was to put a little pressure behind Josh, (looking at zone 5,
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Part I
towards the saddle, as it meant association with being ridden. How could I have missed THAT?!
Instead of riding, Linda had me take Josh into the round pen and turn him loose. She instructed me to quickly walk away from him. He just looked at me, so Linda had me turn slowly to look at his tail (zone 5). He stepped his hip over. I walked away again. The rules, Linda explained, was to put a little pressure behind Josh, (looking at zone 5, then flicking a tail hair), then walk away when he turned his nose to
Nancy and Josh
Photography by Lyndsey Fitch