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The Power of Touch

By Wynn Currie of Gimme A Dream

Slowly dragging arm loads of hay to the paddocks for five horses can be a trial on its own. Today, it was pleasant as the day was beautiful and the horses were calmly waiting, basking in the sun.

"Wynn," my son Cleigh called from the drive. "Denis called! Says he needs help with Joli, now." While running to the truck, a complete set of scenarios passed through my mind.

Denis, a professional fisherman had bought two horses last October, a older gelding, Butch and a middle-aged mare, Joli. They were in reasonably good health for just recovering from an equine flu. Both were thin but not too bad. He borrowed the saddles and bridles of my mares for the winter, since I don't ride with ice on the ground. That was the first and last time I saw these two horses.

My thoughts went from illness to injury, for this little mare, but when I arrived, the problem was the last I had expected. The little, red roan mare was rearing and pawing at anyone who entered her paddock. She twirled to kick savagely at her owner and he was the first to admit that she scared the wits out of him. Was there anything I could do?

I looked at her from outside the fence. This was not a normally violent mare, so I crawled through the rails. There was a large group of fishermen about the fence, talking and explaining all at once, in both official languages of Canada, what she had been doing.

With a low voice, I spoke to her and let the men explain on, in the background of my mind. After a minute, I touched her and she shivered but she stayed on all four feet. I slowly passed my hand all over her shoulder and back, then around her rump and up the other side and I talked to her. When I reached her head, I scratched her jaw and poll before taking hold of her halter.

After tying her close enough to her feed, the men were astounded and exclaimed their amazement. Her owner wanted me to take her home with me, right then and there.

I checked the mare over but found nothing to indicate a problem. She had lost a bit of weight and didn't have a good winter coat, but that could be explained with the mild temperatures we have been having. Her halter, one I had given to her owner the previous October was a bad fit and it had to go. Cleigh brought a soft rope halter from the truck, which I put on. I took the bridle, put the bit in my hand and she took it in her mouth like it was candy.

I put the saddle blanket on her and then the saddle and she never twitched. I walked her around the paddock, talking the whole time and rubbing her neck, touching her. Then I got on her back and walked her around again.

So what did I do? I touched her as another unaggressive horse might have done. I talked to her, letting her know that I was in control, but it was the touch that she needed.

Horses in the herd, single each other out to touch, sometimes the shoulder, neck or back. That is what I did.

When a person is afraid of a larger animal, the last thing they want to do is touch the animal. In this case, the owner kept the gelding between himself and Joli because of her aggressiveness, which start a downward spiral into complete discontentment for poor Joli.

In three or four months, he fed her through a window in her stall. All the wood in the manger was gone, eaten. The 2X6" wall studs in the building were damaged, almost beyond repair and the insulation was gone.

The owner, Denis had no difficulty with the old, little gelding but it wasn't Butch who needed his attention and love. Butch didn't need to be touched and scratched as a member of the 'herd'.

After giving some advice on what Joli might need in the way of vitamins and minerals, where and how to get salt and mineral blocks and instructions on repairing the stall and ways to prevent it from happening again, my son and I left.

We stopped at the store and did some grocery shopping. When we were finished and left the store, the two horses, Butch and Joli were tied to a railing and contently munching on the grass. Denis and his young son were going to do their own grocery shopping, on horse back.

Contributor's Note

My education is in veterinary medicine and I'm often called away from home to help with sick or injured horses, but it is rare that I'm called out to be a horse whisperer.

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Thank you for this intel. It goes to show everyone needs their quota of touch everyday. Never having truly ridden a horse, I admire them from afar. They are magnificent beings.

Nora Quiason Jan 20, 2010 18:06

A great intel, Wynn.
Having been around horses a great deal of my life, I appreciate the information that you have shared.
Keep up the fine intels.
Best to you.
Frederick

frederick Jan 21, 2010 10:40

Being trusted by horses is a gift. Thanks for the info.

biblefreeorg Jan 21, 2010 11:13

Great story, and written like a story - enjoyed it! So many people have animals without realizing that animals are individuals with wants and needs just like us.

nick Jan 21, 2010 12:07

Thanks Wynn for a great intel. Is this "Horse Whisperer" stuff, or just common sense relationship advice? I suspect more the latter than the former.
Regards, Jim

I think 'horse whisperer' and 'common-sense' are the same thing. For example, people think a gentle pat on the rump is appreciated but a pat on the rump could be seen as a kick from a hoof. Horses never pat each other out of kindness. It is an aggressive act. But a scratch or a rub is a gentle reply in kind and is taken with appreciation. It is difficult to think like a species so entirely different from ourselves.

Great story, it's really touching (no pun intended). Joli was lucky she had you to help, not just to explain, but to show the new owner what the problem was. I suspect many animals find themselves in similar circumstances, and I'm so grateful for all the guardian angels on earth to help them.

It has been 5 days now since Joli's upset and she has been taken out and brushed everyday. They rode her this afternoon without problems. In fact, they chose to ride her bitless because they don't have experience with the bit and reins and don't want to hurt her. I guess she responded in kind, I haven't heard anything.

Horses are fascinating creatures. I never realized that the way you talk to an animal lets you be in control. The right touch seems to fortify it. Your contribution makes it an extraordinary horse-Intel.

tozcal2008 Apr 9, 2010 04:24

I love horses and have a friend who lets me exercise her horses as often as I like. What a joy!

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