Equine Training & Healing
Horses have always been my greatest passion in life. These majestic animals are so dear to my heart. The history of our country was created on the back of the "horse". Not just this country but our world history as well, would not be the same if it were not for the strength of Equus. Horses were humanity's greatest source of strength until not too long ago. It is for this very reason that they too are in great need of healing.
They are great teachers because they mirror reflections of ourselves. However, we must be willing to listen. The bond between human and horse can be impenetrable. A horse will walk through fire for you if it trust your leadership skills enough. All they want from their rider, is a good leader. One who has the ability to connect with their spirit and communicate with them telepathically. To speak in a language that they understand. It was horses which led me to my path to alternative healing. I was training horses that had-deep seated emotions. Some with great ammounts of trauma. I wanted to understand how to help heal their emotional bodies. Ninety-five percent of what goes on with a horse is connected to the emotions the horse is going through. If an owner has emotional issues, you can rest assure that the horse that they own has a similar emotional pattern that vibrationally matches its owner. I was strongly guided towards alternative healing to acquire more gifts and add to my "training bag of tools". I thought that this knowledge would add to my horse training skills. What I discovered was that in the knowing comes more responsibility. However, what happened is my own intense journey of healing myself.
This sure threw me for a loop. I always thought of myself as a pretty balanced individual, thus working with horses. Horses can be one of the most balanced animals in the animal kingdom. Experience has shown me that horses tend to learn better from trainers that are very balanced. For example, strongly in touch with both feminine and male aspects of themselves. But then again, everyone has a story and a life filled with lessons to overcome. So I walked the path of a "wounded healer" for a while. I was strongly guided to work on myself, take some time off of training horses and work with humanity. The horses were not going anywhere. I had achieved the skills required to train horses, but now I wanted to achieve something else. Although I strongly resisted this at first, because I could not imagine not working with horses for even a little while. Eventually it would be my greatest surrender in trust and faith. Through this process of healing came my spiritual awakening and I knew eventually it would all come and flow together as one. This is that time.
Because there is no separation, this process of healing myself definately benefited my training ability with horses. It would open up a whole new world to me. It has been my greatest gift to myself, which therefore affects everything and everyone I touch, including Equus.
I use a natural horsemanship approach when I train horses. Which is very similar to Native American horsemanship. My unique gift in "becoming" the horse that I work with, allows me to be so successful with them. Also it is imperative that one understands Equus language. This a language I understand very well.
I spent half of my life working with horses. I have had many wonderful teachers and mentors along the way, especially in the SouthWest. I worked with a stables, which was basically a large ranch, for many years wrangling, training, studying horse behavior, herding horses through canyons and driving long horn cattle. This particular operation ran about 70-80 head of horses. I was responsible for guiding trips across very rugged terrain using topography maps. Of course the wranglers rode the "green-broke" horses, and the horses that were the most dangerous. These trips lasted anywhere from one to seven days out in the desert with me and my horse and all the other clients/horses I was responsible for. Usually no more than 6 to one wrangler. It was required that I was to be First Aide Wilderness certified. This would come in handy more often than not. It was important also to have a keen knowledge of "flora and fauna". There were a lot of curenderas(healers) in that area that would teach me. This area of South West Texas was extremely remote, beautiful and harsh. To give you an idea it was about one million acres with population 15o people. This was the great bend of the Rio Grande on the Texas-Mexico Border. This region is known as the Chihuahuan Desert. It's history is rich in primitive cultures. Big Bend would be the last great frontier. The land's subjects, however, were the people of the Big Bend: local ranchers, Mexican American, Mexican, and American families, minors, Texas Rangers and others. It's history sometimes quite violent. Pancho-Villa and Chico Cano were among the many "bandits" playing hide and seek with the U.S. cavalry. Horses played a very important role in it's history.
Once you were out in the field, the chances of seeing another human being were next to none. It was basically you and your horse. Survival skills were neccessary as was the relationship with each horse. Because the land was so vast being on a horse 40 miles a day was more common than not. It was this experience, being one with your horse, which would be my greatest teacher and allow me to know the horse. This outfitter ran other horse excursions across the Rio Grande in "Old" Mexico as well. Alot of the mexicans were direct descendants of Apache and Comanche. I learned from some of the most incredible cowboys, ranchers and "vaqeuros"(mexican cowboys) who still lived life "the old-fashioned way". Through this experience I also learned how NOT to train horses.
I took all the knowledge I learned through experience not through certifications, schools and book learning. Although that is nice too. That was not "my path". Someone once told me that the difference between "knowledge" and "wisdom" was that "wisdom comes from experience". I developed my own unique style and it changes with every horse. Each horse and case is different. I have found there are no two cases the same.
My specialties lie in starting horses. I especially like starting them as soon as they are born. Experience has shown me that it is sooo much easier to start them when they are young. Even though out West, we never touched them until they were 2-4 years old. When they were between 2 and 4 years old, they would be herded, roped and then brought in to be trained. After they were born they were put out in hundreds of acres with herds where they would become completely wild and strong. They would forage themselves and live off the land. It was believed that they would develope their personality and character based on survival skills. When they matured and had a full understanding of what is was to be a horse, they were ready to be trained. I understand why this method worked for them.
However, what I found is that you can take a colt or philly and teach them "pressure/release" much easier and faster with less struggle, and keep their spirit in tact. The younger they are the easier it is. Although it really depends on what purpose the horse is being used for. But your basic foundation, like haltering, leading, picking up the hooves, grooming, getting it used to loud noises of all kinds and teaching it not to kick is much easier when they are young. I can teach them when they are older as well, I just prefer to work with them as early as possible.
I also have been guided to move more away from taking horses, training them, and then giving them back to owners who are not willing to do what it takes to learn about their horse. Horses will regress if the training does not continue in the appropriate way. It is not fair to horse or trainer to work so hard and accomplish goals, just to be sent back to non conducive environments. Training like healing takes commitment. I have a great ability to teach. And so now more often then not, the owners will get trained as well. I teach them how to train their own horses, about horse psychology and the language of Equus. They will learn how to properly bond and take responsibility for their horse which often starts with themselves.
I do not at the moment have a facility to train horses. However, I can come to you. Training works best in a round pen. Using an appropriate facility is really essential. Although, sometimes one must use whatever is available. There are ways to create a makeshift facility and there are many ways to be creative and use what one has. There are certain techniques that I use to teach a horse how to take a saddle and bridle that must be done in the proper setting. Also behavior issues, like breaking a horse from bucking, kicking, biting, or running away with owners must be done in a proper setting as well, to be most effective. Prices vary according to the training that is neccessary. However my suggested donation fee is 50$/hr. I do also require an assessment fee, which depends upon the distance I must travel to assess the horse. Animal Reiki fees are on the Reiki page.
Because I am in a transitional phase of my life I would be very open to accepting a position working with horses. A place that could truly appreciate my gifts and knowledge. To merge and integrate new methods with my own experiences and knowing is a very exciting possibility. I do have 2 horses of my own that would also have to accompany me.
Walk in balance,
Erica
