Question
Are there any experiences or examples that you witnessed that you consider to demonstrate spirituality in your horses?
Citation:
Ball, A., Kapler, D., Cline, K., & Thompson, C. (2019).
Caring for the Spiritual Part of Therapeutic Horses within a Quadrant Approach.
Unpublished Manuscript.
Answer
This answer will raise eyebrows. It is my opinion that very few people believe the circumstances of this interaction. It happened, I was there and it will remain with me for the rest of my days.
The female of virtually every specie is a nurturer. In the DNA is a desire to give birth, care for and educate an offspring. The desire to protect that offspring is one of the deepest qualities with in Equus Caballos. The lowly mare will take on a lion or a tiger to save her baby. This will often cost them their life and maybe even the lives of both mother and child. It is one of the strongest patterns of behavior nature has instilled in Equus. I was asked to put the first saddle and rider on a mustang mare untouched by human hand.
It happened she was a mother. Her foal had been weaned from her for approximately two and a half weeks. At the appropriate moment, an assistant brought a western saddle into my round pen and placed it in the center on the soil. I began to walk toward the saddle and my mustang mare went by me at top speed. She savaged the saddle using both front feet and her mouth to rip it to shreds. The out gate was directly across from where I stood. I circled the round pen staying as close to the fence as possible.
It is distinct in my memory that I was the next item on the menu. I simply felt I was 100% correct when the mare left the saddle and went straight at me. I went into fetal position on the ground next to the fence. The mare stopped squarely over the top of me. I could see her front feet tapping the ground just an inch or so from where my hands gripped the earth. I could feel her hind feet doing a tap dance while touching the toes of my boots with half of her steps. After about fifteen seconds, the mare broke away from me and made one more attempt at the saddle just as I began to rise, she wielded and returned to me at top speed.
The mare repeated the same dance she had done seconds before. At that point I heard a thumping on the back of my jeans, right at the area of the calf. I could imagine what it was and somehow I managed to twist my neck enough to see that their was milk dripping from her udder, one side on my left calf and one on my right. My jeans began to soak with the milk of this mare. I called to my assistant to view this closely because he was seeing something that, quite possibly, no other modern horseman had ever seen. The mare allowed me to stand and we carefully used a different saddle. She was ridden on that day and went on to become a mustang champion.
Sincerely,
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MONTY'S EQUUS ONLINE UNIVERSITY
THIS WEEK'S EPISODE
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ONLINE PRODUCT REVIEW : MONTY'S BOOKS
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To all who endeavor in this effort and to the Roberts Family:
I have just completed reading
The Man Who Listens to Horses
with the intent to read 2 more books by Monty Roberts and am filled with intense emotion and gratitude for your efforts in persevering in your goal as outlined in Monty's statement at the end of this book.
A wise horsewoman suggested I read about horse psychology when I was intimidated by Loki, a local mischievous but adorable Norwegian
Fjord horse at the therapeutic riding classes I was involved in at Free Rein here in Spokane, Washington.
When I tacked him up, he lightly squeezed me up against the wall of the stall. If I went to halter him and lead him from the corral for class, he dodged me successfully for minutes until he was bored playing with me. I once clumsily got his halter on to take him away from his grassy paddock and get him tacked up for class but accidentally twisted it. He would not budge until someone standing several feet away pointed out the twist in the halter and it was straightened!
After I read books on the horse psychology, Loki and I had a different relationship. He let me know I was welcome in his world because I was listening to him instead of my own agenda. My confidence in the horse training classes made me realize that a few of the horse handlers were inept and punishing horses or yelling at them even though the horses were following the signals they were giving because the handlers were unaware they weren't giving the correct signals for the exercise they expected from the horses they had in training with them.
I was hit with the sudden realization that just because someone professes to have years of horse experience and talk loudly, that does not make them expert!
The horse: the healer, the ultimate teacher with magnificent heart deserves the respect you teach people to have!
Thank you all for what you do!
Gratefully,
Roxann McNaughton
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THE MONTY ROBERTS INTERNATIONAL LEARNING CENTER
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June 10 to 28, 2019: Advanced Certification Course
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July 5 to 7, 2019:
Horse Sense and Healing
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July 8 to 10, 2019:
Introductory Course: First Steps to Monty's Methods
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July 8 to 19, 2019:
Introductory Course of Horsemanship
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July 13, 2019: Kids' Course (ages 8 to 15)
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July 19 to August 2, 2019: Monty's Special Training
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FROM THE MOVEMENT 2019
"Being at my first one, I found it, especially when Monty was working the round pen, to have a vibe similar to church, meaning it held a Spiritual tone, if you know what I mean. Again, I plan to bring friends to the next one."
"Very informative and not rushed, timely, full days."
"Most speakers were highly informative. Love meeting horse-loving people!"
"It inspired me in so many aspects of horses/life. The obvious coming together of like-minded people who want better for horses."
"Love coming to the farm."
"Empowering, feel-good, days with relevant information you can start using right away."
"Wisdom abounds - with remarkable people who have lived remarkable lives. And this helped me generate my own personal vision to try to live with the same integrity."
"My horse will benefit."
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MONTY'S CHALLENGE
Test yourself each week as I challenge you to answer the question below. I mean this. Sit down and write an answer. Don't wait for my answer next week. If you have been reading my Weekly Questions and Answers for the last six months, you should be in a position to do this. Send your answer to my team at:
askmonty@montyroberts.com
Why should you bother? Because it will help you focus. There is probably a comparable question in your life that needs answering... or will be. If you can gain insight into how to go about answering a practical question that is loosely related to your problem, this exercise will help you answer your nagging question. Then read my answer. I want all of my students to learn to be better trainers than me.That's good for you and good for horses!
~ Monty
NEXT WEEK'S QUESTION
I’m wondering if we can hypnotize horses, in some way or another? I was searching and digging for how horses think. I was wondering about it, if we can do it.
My best regards to you,
Mohammed Al sharif
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FOR OUR VETERANS AND FIRST RESPONDERS
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Monty Roberts is running free, resilience-building workshops for veterans, police, fire, first responders and their families. Horse Sense and Healing is a three-day program and it involves working closely with horses. The individuals and horses develop a special bond built upon mutual trust and respect. Join-Up offers everyone an effective tool to rediscover themselves through the eyes of the horse. This self-awareness exercise deals effectively with emotional trauma, anti-social behavior and withdrawal, anger, stress, combat stress and even Post Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI).
READ MORE
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REDUCING VIOLENCE THROUGH WORKSHOPS
WITH HORSES GLOBALLY
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Dear Team at Flag is Up Farms,
As the Youth Recreation Coordinator for the City of Buellton I wanted to express my gratitude for the first class treatment and instruction the youth received while attending the Join-Up experience. Every student that was there was chosen for different struggles that each are facing currently. One thing that is consistent with every student who attended the program is that their main issues stem from the lack of trust or fear of rejection.
The staff for the program was so professional and loving that every student left each day so excited to come back. After leaving Flag is Up Farms each session, the ride back to the Rec Center got louder and louder because of the great experiences they were having. You can check with Jerry on that one as he witnessed it on the bus after the last session.
This was an amazing experience and we as a Recreation Department and City of Buellton are so blessed to have this treasure in our backyard. One of the moms who picked up their child the last evening said, “ This is the best week we have had as a family since I can remember, and I feel like there is a glimmer of hope for my son again.”
Thank you again for all that you do. Keep up the good work and I hope we will be able to join you again in the future.
Sincerely,
Paul Smith
Buellton Youth Recreation Coordinator
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FIND A MONTY ROBERTS CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR
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