From Zero to Sixty
Horses Flight Response And Trauma Awareness
When I first got Willow she has 2 speeds, standing still and 60 mph! She would stand and basically let me do anything. If she was nervous or scared while standing, she would spook in place but as soon as I asked her to move forward, she rushed around the arena, going faster and faster, with head up and eyes bulging out of her head! (I am exaggerating slightly or embellishing.)
I worked with her all last year to get her to ride calmly and with a loose rein which she did- halleluja! But I've have gone all winter without riding her. :( To see where her mind was at, I decided to just do some groundwork.
I set up an obstacle course in my riding arena but started off just grooming her. Believe me, she needed it!
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| Willow's long tangled mane. |
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| Willow after her grooming session. No more dreadlocks! |
Willow stood like a perfect student as I groomed her. This is her first speed- standing still. She is very good at it. Willow is a bit of a wimp, bottom of the pecking order with the herd and a generally unconfident horse but she does like people which is a great plus! I groomed her for a good 30 min to get her reacquainted with me as someone other than the hay and grain lady.
Last year, before I started working with Willow, she would either stand with manners or when asked to move forward on the lunge line, would be resistant to move forward then quickly go from zero to 60! I right away saw she pretty much lost her mind when she had to move out and would become a bit frantic. Today she remembered she could be brave standing a little ways from me and she could still think and remain
Calm when her feet moved. Good girl Willow!! We practiced going from a standstill to moving forward slowly to moving faster around the obstacle course...and then back to slow and stand. Ahhhh.... big sigh!
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| Approach and Retreat,* Oil Painting by Sue Steiner |
Going from zero to 60 reminds me of a trauma survivor's reactions when escalated. Anyone who works with trauma survivors is likely to have seen this reaction too. They can be calm, engaged, thinking one minute and then wham! Something sets them off or triggers them and then off they go! They can spiral into high gear and the trauma circles around and around, just below their awareness but greatly affect their reactions. They possibly can become reactive, oppositional, hyper-vigilant and emotional. ~~ No blame here at all ~~ please know that. I am a trauma survivor too and can more likely speak to what it felt like to me. Can you say, hot mess? It was!
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| Willow last year, a little bugged out by a broom. |
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| Willow, last year, outside and away from herd mates and a teeny bit on edge. :) |
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| Lunging lessons last year. |
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| A MUCH calmer Willow, very far from the barn and herd mates after a couple months of training. |
As I noticed Willow's first couple of steps as I asked her to move out I was reminded of a similar reaction in her to once her feet moved. In a horse, it is easy to see the hyper-vigilance and reactivity. Each body movement of mine has to be purposeful and clear. I also know to only give the slightest cue to move forward. Had I gone with a big whip and started acting aggressively or over-asserting myself, I would have put gasoline on to her fire.
The beauty of horses and working with them in this way, is they teach ME how to keep my body and mind calm, my energy focused and not aggressive. I can be assertive but have learned how to bring my energy right down again after the correct response. I can watch her 'reactiveness' somewhat impartially and allow her to see I am not adding to her high energy. The more she focuses on me, provided I am calm and focused, the faster she comes around. There is a great reward in seeing that reflected in this large animal in front of me.
Willow surprised me today also by going over the obstacle course very willingly. That was a nice surprise to see that the work we did last year stuck with her and she looked like we had just done this yesterday!
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| Willow is even shy around the other horses, preferring to hang back. |
In thinking how we observe the horse, learn about what is going on in OUR body, we are now able to remain calm and focused when under stress. Learning to not be reactive back to someone just because they are emotional and reactive is truly a great skill. I'll be honest, it is easy to do with the horse...but that body awareness piece lets us know we be into our own flight/ fight response. If we can recognize that....and NOT go zero to 60.... is the golden nugget of being around horses. When we learn to stay engaged, observant, pro-active and assertive under stress and not aggressive, emotional or reactive, we have received one of the greatest gifts our horses can give us- if we are open to it.
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| Willow, a black sabino TW mare |
* Approach and Retreat, my oil painting above, has a description here you may want to read since it goes along with the topic.
