In late August a truckload of twelve young Kosciusko Brumbies arrived at the Stanthorpe Showgrounds in Queensland thanks to an initiative called High Country Brumby Rescue by the SEQ Brumby Association, taking this lucky lot out of reach of the government’s Draft Management Plan to eradicate close to 90% of Kosciusko Brumbies.

One day I was talking with a friend about the Brumbies explaining how I had started to work with the approximately two-year-old filly I was adopting (and a 10 month-old Brumby gelding from Guy Fawkes NP at the same time). I described it like this: “First, we worked on trust and clear communication. She has begun to follow me around, lets me touch her all over and pick up her feet. Then she became confident and started bossing me around.” His response was: “Sounds like you two have a love affair!” I thought about that later on and even though he meant it tongue in cheek, it is actually true… in a love affair or any kind of relationship it is a similar journey.

When being around horses and when training a horse we have the opportunity to learn so much about ourselves. To horses everything we do or don’t do has meaning and we have just taught them something, consciously or unwittingly. I personally feel that the Brumbies are even more sensitive and finely tuned than domestic horses and it has made me aware of how confusing we must be to them a lot of the time depending on how much or how little self-awareness we bring into the relationship and into the round yard. Every movement, change in body position, the way we breathe, our tone of voice, where our attention goes, speed, pauses, timing and so on are ways of communication. We are always communicating something.

Kosciuzko brumbies – noticing everything around them…

Horses notice everything around them while being aware of their internal environment at the same time. We can learn from horses how to become more attentive, sharpen our senses, tune into our environment and to be connected to each other without loosing connection with ourselves.

How amazing would it be if we lived in such an aware way! Everything means something. Everything means something anyway but now we are aware and we relate to each other from this heightened awareness. We respond in the moment and not five minutes or a day later when our mind has made up a story around the experience and then built subsequent behaviour on these stories. We move on from that moment to the next, then another and another. We use all of our senses including the sense of emotion to receive, process and communicate information.

I mean, how much do we miss every day and in each moment with each other?! All the assumptions we make (making an ass out of u and me), false conclusions we draw, judgements we pass and hurt feelings we choose to have as a result!

This morning I woke up with trust on my mind. And safety. Are they the same or do we need to establish safety before we can build trust? We can go to the dictionary and look up the meaning of these words or read about safety and trust in texts on psychology and mind-body therapies but I feel they are also deeply personal.

Beate Sommer’s brumbies, including the yawning four-year-old from Guy Fawkes National Park – relax into trust.

The other day I was watching a DVD of an amazing German dog whisperer (Maja Nowak). She said that respect comes first in a dog-human relationship and that humans usually make the mistake to think trust and affection come first. That made me think! Does respect come before safety and trust? Or are they all interconnected?

If you felt called to do so right now, you could get a blank piece of paper and begin to jot down everything that comes to you when you think about safety, trust, respect… words, images, sounds, memories, expectations, questions and so on… If you’re with a friend or a loved one then invite him/her to do the same and afterwards compare notes. IF you feel comfortable doing such an exercise. IF you feel safe revealing yourself in such a way. Or else it could be a very private undertaking for today beginning to explore what safety and trust mean to you.

They are certainly prerequisites for the relationship with a horse. During the time I worked with the Kosciousko Brumbies and interacting with the humans involved with them I have learned much about myself such as how sometimes I approach too fast (and I don’t necessarily mean speed as in how fast I walk or move my hand) and it took me a while to understand that good intentions, enthusiasm and a heart full of love do not justify entering before the invitation has been extended. I guess that’s about respect too!? Sometimes, doing nothing and simply holding space is the greatest gift of love to give someone.

It is the same for a human as it is for a horse. If a person is in fear, (s)he will find it difficult to let in acknowledgement, support, love… because the Nervous System is on alert and not in a relaxed, trusting and receptive state.

Actually, horses are easier because they don’t have mind and ego getting in the way. In humans, fear elicits fantasies experienced as real. After that it is like a domino effect, once you have knocked over one all the others fall too. Have you ever seen those guys who create pictures out of thousands of domino pieces but you can’t see what the picture is until they have all fallen? It is a bit like that! Whichever domino piece falls first – fear or love – determines what picture is created.

A horse trainer once told me that we must have ‘hands that close slowly and open quickly’. What he meant was that when using the lead rope or the reins your hands have to close slowly and with feel and when the horse responds with softness they have to open instantly to release and reward.

Trust develops slowly and can be lost quickly! So go in slowly and reward often and quickly, the horse, yourself and others.

Contact Beate Sommer at: taketime2smellthehorses

Now at “Riversong” near Tenterfield, New England.

Come, take time to smell the horses at our new sanctuary “Riversong”. We offer byo camping and horse and also have a selection of affordable accommodation options, run horse and healing retreats and take working students.

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When I heard on the news that the government plans to reduce the Kosciuszko Brumbies (Australian wild horses) from 6000 to 600 over the next 20 years I was seriously alarmed.

Being an animal lover in general and a horse lover in particular, having spent time with Mustangs (American wild horses) and being aware of the conflicts surrounding their management in the US, as well as owning two Australian Brumbies I thought I knew where I stood on the Brumby issue. Of course I was going to sign the petition against the government’s Draft Wild Horse Management Plan.

Memories came back of the horror of the arial shooting of Brumbies in 2000, which left so many of them injured and needlessly suffering to death. Over the past 10 years I’ve noticed more Brumbies in my travels. Brumbies have been culled via passive trapping and many people – though still not enough – have chosen to adopt one or more, including myself.

Brumbies are fabulous horses. They are strong and healthy and make wonderful companions suitable to just about any discipline be it trailriding, pony club or equine therapy. Brumbies are sensitive, intelligent, have a superb memory and are highly trainable. In my experience the bond you can create with a Brumby is deep and special. My two Brumbies are part of my four-legged healing team.

                                        Brumbies in Kosciuszko National Park.

I can easily think of a multitude of reasons why the Australian Brumby should be protected and I am appalled at the hypocrisy of a government claiming the wild horses are causing serious environmental damage when it is the same people who support open cut mining and coal seam gas which are without a doubt a much greater threat to the environment than Brumbies will ever be.

However, even though I am for the Brumby I don’t necessarily want to write against the proposed Draft Wild Horse Management Plan. There has been a lot of overly-dramatic comments on Facebook and it occurred to me one day how many of the people complaining had  actually read all 52 pages of the plan? When I started reading it I thought there were some points that made sense.

So now the camps are divided. You’re either for or against and discussions can get quite heated. I was part of such a discussion not long ago and came face to face with a woman who spoke in favour of decimating the entire Brumby population. She took an extreme view but she also said: ”We only hear what we want to hear,” and Somehow I couldn’t argue with that. I think that is quite an accurate observation of most of us and I immediately gathered that it is all the more reason to listen to one another. If we listen to each other we can fill in the gaps and get the full story, and what it means to us. What I didn’t hear may be what you did hear. What I heard could be useful to you in making an informed decision. It is not necessary to agree. It could be just one small piece of information that widens our horizon.

Instead of insisting on a narrow point of view (a point of view that doesn’t allow other opinions is necessarily always narrow because it doesn’t have the full picture) and ending in argument, judgment, self-righteous insistence and conflict, could we possibly soften our approach to curious interest and decide that sometimes we just don’t know what makes another person tick?

Through mutual listening we might learn something new and understand it is not about being right or wrong, while staying true to our core values and keeping our integrity. Through better listening we begin to see better too. We begin to see through the periphery into the heart of a person and a matter. We see to the heart of the matter.

Beate Sommer out on a bush ride on her 12 year old Palomino Brumby Buffalo.

Everyone has something valuable and unique to offer. We can help each other bring out this uniqueness. Everyone wants to be heard. When we truly listen (instead of already formulating in our minds a response) we might discover that all the voices we hear on the outside already exist on the inside. Whatever I refuse to listen to in you I also refuse to listen to in myself.

The Brumby population will be managed in some shape or form. I think an intelligent approach to the issue is required and we need to listen to each other even when we hear things we don’t want to hear. Listen first. Look at all sides, all arguments. Gather your information. Breathe, don’t react – respond.

Respond in a way you are most likely to be heard.

All sides need to work together on this for the sake of the Brumbies!

I have been living near Tenterfield in New England, just over the Great Dividing Range, for five weeks now. Even though it is much colder than at the coast, I am finding the country here spectacular and inviting – inviting to stillness, adventure, new growth and a few more Brumbies.

All of us from TAKETIME2SMELLTHEHORSES (previously located near Bangalow) are gently landing at our growing new sanctuary “Riversong’.

We are surrounded by both National Park and wide open country suited to short and long rides. Saddle up and Giddy Up from our stables! Reach an isolated and pristine waterfall and waterhole in 1 ½ hours on horseback. There’s even a hitching rail there so be sure to take swimmers, towel and a sandwich for a magical interlude before getting back on the trail home.

Alternatively, spectacular rivers, waterfalls and waterholes can be reached by car in less than three quarters of an hour. Ideal for bush walking, rock hopping, skinny dipping (if that’s your thing) and yummy picnics. Or just quietness and solitude shared with kangaroos, wallabies, birds and a koala if you’re lucky.

TAKETIME2SMELLTHEHORSES continues to welcome working students, retreat guests, horse lovers, artists seeking inspiration… come to de-stress, reconnect with nature and your own inner rhythm – take time to smell the horses – then leave rejuvenated, reinspired, reinvented!

Contact Beate on 0408247965 for further information

www.taketime2smellthehorses.com

Here are some links to get more information on the Brumbies:

environment.nsw.gov.au

australianbrumbyalliance.org.au

australianhorserescue.com/news/resources/brumbies/

change.org/p/australian-government-stop-the-brumby-cull-in-australia

savethebrumbies.org/

hvba.com.au/

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As I think about writing my last column of the year, I ask myself how I can pack the richness of the year’s experiences, the growth and changes that have occurred as well as some valuable horses healing humans healing horses information for you into a short paragraph!?

So this is what I’ll do… I will give you some of my favourite insights into how a conscious horse-human connection is so helpful, followed by an update on a subject I am most passionate about, topped off by a few photos from my last visit to the New England Brumby Sanctuary (NEBS).

1. Have you noticed the pull between wanting to fit in and belong and wanting to stand out and be different? They are like two forces pulling in opposite directions, creating internal (and external) tension. I spoke about this with several young people in their twenties and they could really relate to this conflict. We agreed that all the way through school in a mainstream system, individual uniqueness is not encouraged.

Recognizing and nurturing our uniqueness create peace, contentment and self-love, which relieve this tension. The need for comparison dissolves and competition becomes friendly, playful, inclusive and with everyone walking away a winner.

Horses know and live this inclusive uniqueness. They are always authentic and themselves with a unique place in the herd. They are unique and belong at the same time. This is what we can learn from all of nature – the Gumtree doesn’t try to be a Poinciana. A lettuce hardly aspires to being a potato. The rose doesn’t look down at the ‘weed’ with an air of self-importance.

When I sit with my herd I observe and feel them, I marvel at their individual traits and their unique expression. Invariably I get an increased awareness and a deeper sense of myself and of everything surrounding me.

I am impressed at how horses play, how they test their strength and speed and if there is an outcome with a ‘winner’ and a ‘looser’ (human terms), even the ‘looser’ comes back for another round. Winning a play fight seems to mean nothing beyond that. No conclusions are drawn from the outcome. No judgements are passed. As humans we observe a pecking order in a herd of horses with one horse being over another yet the higher-ranking horse is not any more important in the tapestry of the whole herd and greater whole. Humans find that hard to understand. Horses understand their own and each others uniqueness.

2. Highly sensitive people and empaths can experience feeling anger around people who are incongruent and don’t express outwardly what is really going on inside but instead act from a mask.

Horses perceive incongruent people as a threat to the integrity of the herd as these people are not in touch with their internal environment and therefore cannot draw cues from it as to the external environment. Horses respond to this tension between the pulling forces. They feel unsafe and may stay at a distance, withdraw altogether or even show signs of aggression as a protection (aggression – anger).

It is not necessary to work things out or necessarily be peaceful and happy. All that is required is to become congruent, the pull in opposite directions seizes and a stillpoint emerges even if just momentarily. This is the moment when people often sigh and horses yawn. Tension is released and the energy flows again.

How?

First, set an intention of holding space for yourself and within this space establish a regular practice of paying attention to your breathing, feeling your breath flow in and out of your body (or being stuck), sensations arising in your physical body, emotions rising (or wanting to rise), thoughts crossing the mind (accept all, then change your focus back to your breath and body) and inner voices speaking to you and sometimes even back and forth amongst themselves (no, you are not crazy!).

Early Sufi practises and the teachings of Jesus already speak about this… set the table, invite the guests, let each one speak so every voice feels heard and can relax and not try so hard to be heard… making peace between the waring parts within follows naturally.

From this place of peace and safety, allow your own light to come forth and shine. Be a light upon yourself. Shine your light upon the world.

There are some of a few of my favourite shots from my last visit to the New England Brumby Sanctuary near Guyra in NSW. Enjoy them and please do visit the website of savethebrumbies and maybe you can adopt a Brumby too!?

For more information on Beate Sommer go to: taketime2smellthehorses

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Aliya gallops. Photo: Candida Baker

 Living in conscious awareness of the moment, in the same way horses do, can dramatically increase our sense of well-being, writes Beate Sommer from Take Time to Smell the Horses.

I’m going to begin by telling one of my favourite stories from Wisdom of the Sands – Discourses on Sufism (Vol.1) by Osho. It’s a slightly modified version, because I’m replacing the traditional camel in the story with a horse.

A Master was travelling with his disciple. The disciple was in charge of taking care of the horse. They came to an inn later that night and it was the disciple’s duty to tether the horse, only he didn’t bother and simply prayed to God ‘Take care of the horse’.

The next morning the horse was gone. The Master asked, ‘Where is the horse?’ The disciple answered, ‘I don’t know. Ask God. I told him to look after it. I am not responsible because I asked God very clearly! And don’t you go on teaching “Trust God” and so I trusted.’ The Master said, ‘Trust in God but tether your horse first – God has no other hands than yours.’

It is easy to trust in God/Spirit and be lazy. It is also easy to not trust in God/Spirit and be a doer. It takes practice to trust in God/Spirit and be a doer at the same time! God/Spirit is the real doer. We are just instruments in his/her hands. Every little action is God/Spirit working through us

Our life energy plus divine support is embodied trust. We need both – acting with strength and surrendering. Our most powerful tool is the breath, breathing our own breath and being breathed by Divine Breath. Going through life we find ourselves in a diverse range of experiences – sad, happy, successful, difficult, busy, peaceful – and it is important to live with compassion for the world for every sentient being and for ourselves. In my studies of the Aramaic Beatitudes (see my blog: www.beatitudeway.wordpress.com) I recently came across this definition of compassion: Compassion is the joyful suffering of growing which replaces the anxiety of not trusting life.

So what does all of this have to do with horses other than that in the story I have changed a camel for a horse

Well, it is in the horse’s nature to be relaxed and trusting and when a situation requires attention to deal with it efficiently and then go back to relaxed grazing. It seems to me that horses live from a still and peaceful inner place from which all activity arises, unfolding and expanding from this sacred space within. Society, however, is built on distracting us from being in this stillness, which causes us stress, tension and pain.

In my studies of Sufism I also came across the following: From a still centerpoint we unfold into a larger circle with definite boundaries; this begins by our rediscovering sacred space inside. (The Sufi Book of Life, 99 Pathways of the Heart by Neil Douglas-Klotz)

Being with horses can teach us to become fully aware of ourselves and how to truly be in each moment, connected to this sacred space within, connected with others and our environment and connected with God/Spirit. This connection is the beginning of a deep relaxation, letting go of the stress and tension we have let build in our bodies. Being around horses encourages us to explore the stillness in our center and how to let all activity arise from there

Take some time today in nature and with the animals and rediscover the connection and awareness of all the various parts of yourself, including a broad range of emotions. Do this through breath, your own breath (as in conscious breath exercises) and Divine Breath (allow your natural breath by allowing your body to breathe you). Breathe and be breathed. Herein lies your empowerment and joy.

The horse possesses the grounded power of Earth and the whispers of wisdom found in Spirit. Taking time to be with them is a way to access earthly and divine power.

You can contact Beate Maria Sommer on www.taketime2smellthehorses.com

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Some of my favourite moments in Equine Therapy and Learning are the ones when I realise, after a moment of stillness, how much I am personally learning from The Herd, and how much I have grown and expanded.

It is one thing to teach and hold space for another but to experience the gentle power of the horses daily, from moment to moment, is my nectar.

The arrival of two and a half year old Brumby gelding Tommy and his introduction to The Herd has been an invitation to observe horse rituals and dynamics, both physical and energetic. Several times I felt the urge to protect Tommy. Protect a horse from horse rituals! What was I thinking?! So I simply observed and trusted, either from the other side of the fence or from within The Herd.

On one occasion I had a distinct sense that they saw me as a full herd member. I was one of the mares, moving with and among them and it felt like we were moving as One. Some greater force was breathing us. Another precious moment – I could feel rather than just understand the concept of Belonging.

Horses and – and canine companion Honey – enjoying a run. Photo: Beate Sommer

Through spending a lot of my time in nature and with the horses, my senses are so much more awake and alert nowadays and my heart leads with the courage to open, love and be loved. Mostly though I think it’s the gratitude that does it. My breath slows and deepens. I soften.

The horses make contact. One of the mares, Tammie, comes over and quietly stands by my side for a while until she walks off again and resumes her grazing. I think ‘love’, focus my mind on ‘love’, which helps me to focus on my breathing. Now I feel love. An opportunity arises to give and receive love, exchanging breath with Tommy. His feels warm, a bit moist and smells, to my anyway, like heaven. I feel immense gratitude.

‘Buffalo is the lead ‘stallion’ (he is really a gelding) and he leads with invisible threads running between him and his herd members. To the novice it might be difficult to determine who is boss, because leadership has a very different meaning among horses. Only Buffalo’s energetic presence speaks of leadership.’

Then I experience the deep peace of lingering forehead to forehead with my gelding Buffalo for what seems like an eternity. Rose licks my hands and arms. Shetland Pony Butters gently nudges me and buries his muzzle under my arm. Echo, well, at least she doesn’t run away. She observes with her unique mixture of reserve and curiosity. I look into her big, beautiful and otherworldy eyes. There’s our connection. Thank you. Each of these six horses is unique – just like people.

Tommy the Brumby making friends with Butters the Shetland pony, while Honey looks on. Photo: Beate Sommer

Buffalo is the lead ‘stallion’ (he is really a gelding) and he leads with invisible threads running between him and his herd members. To the novice it might be difficult to determine who is boss, because leadership has a very different meaning among horses. Only Buffalo’s energetic presence speaks of leadership. He is happy in his own space and doesn’t nag or harass. He leads his herd members but he doesn’t control them. Leading up to action, he stands back and observes for a long time. He moves in mindfully, acts directly and swiftly and then returns to relaxation. He is patient, kind and loyal. Buffalo has true presence.

Tammie is twenty-four and the lead mare, not the most dominant mare in The Herd but the steady and reliable one. I call her wife number one to Buffalo because she has also been here the longest. Her behaviour around Tommy is fascinating. At times she will discipline the youngster and give him chase, only to come over to me afterwards as if to ask: “Was that okay?” Maybe I am the lead mare in those moments. I stroke her neck and acknowledge her for her wisdom.

Not interfering in herd behaviour allows the horses to show Tommy the ropes and this helps me in training him. ‘Showing the ropes’! What an interesting expression. I will be showing him the ropes too, literally, lead rope, lunging rope…

There is something raw and real about a Brumby, like a special energy. My Palomino Buffalo, who is now twelve, is also a Brumby and he comes from the same area as Tommy, the Guy Fawkes National Park. Brumbies are very quick to learn and have an uncanny ability to read you. They challenge you to be patient and a good leader more than even domestic horses. They also have a special ability to bond with their human. I have found this to be true with Buffalo and already Tommy is looking for me and I sense the beginning of a similarly strong bond. I love all my horses but the Brumbies hold a special fascination for me.

Buffalo, the herd leader and Tommy. Photo: Beate Sommer

The media often portrays Brumbies as pests, inbred, diseased and a threat to the environment. The truth is, they are none of those things. The percentage of inbreeding is much lower than in domestically bred horses, Brumbies are usually not diseased or even wormy and their genetics are healthy and strong. Furthermore, humans certainly cause a lot more environmental damage than Brumbies ever could. It is also possible that in the not so far future Brumby genes might become sought after to refresh a weakened gene pool of the domestic horse.

I feel honoured to live, play and work with my two Brumbies, honoured and humbled at the trust and affection they offer me. I am also reminded of how much these animals have given to us humans. They went to war. They pulled heavy loads, worked the fields, mustered stock and served as transport. These days Brumbies are making appearances as safe mounts for children in Pony Club or reliable trail riding horses and they are winning their owners ribbons at shows. Let us honour our Brumbies for the integral part they play in Australian history and culture.

They also make wonderful therapy horses as Buffalo has proven for many years now. Tommy is already showing signs of becoming a trustworthy therapy horse as well. They are helping me to reconnect with that still centerpoint within, the timeless place of uniquely me. From here I feel the connection with Nature and Spirit. All is well. Horses are helping humans, and humans are helping horses.

For further information about the Brumbies please go to: savethebrumbies

You can contact Beate via her website: taketime2smellthehorses

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Mutual affection at Aurora Valley Take Time to Smell the Horses.

Psychotherapist, equine facilitated healer and Verandah Magazine columnist Beate Sommer suggests how we could learn some lessons from our equine friends.

What do visitors, retreat guests, working students and clients learn at Aurora Valley Take Time to Smell the Horses?

• Healthy breathing
• Awareness of how they function in life and in certain situations, reactive or responsive, defensive or receptive
• Rediscovery and use of the Three Centers of Intelligence:

1. Head – thinking, analytical, logical
2. Heart – feeling, emotions
3. Gut – sensing, intuition

• Emotional wellbeing and recognizing emotions as valuable messages instead of judging and dividing them into good and bad
• Safety and belonging through connection with

1. self
2. other
3. environment and nature
4. Higher Force, God

• Being, presence in the moment, being felt and letting in attention
• Peripheral vision and lateral thinking
• How to be a sovereign being, how to know yourself and know that Good for one is only good when it is for the Greater Good

Leadership skills build trust.

How do the horses help?

• Energy healing comparable to Reiki, the client may be sitting, standing, moving or lying down on a special healing table, the horses work through physical contact and also from a distance (see photo below)
• Life coaching while interacting with the herd or a particular horse, the horses are like mirrors reflecting energetic disturbances and blockages which show up in the behavior of the person
• Deep relaxation of the nervous system through meditation and conscious breathing, through this contact with the person’s own innate wisdom and healing ability
• Reawakening of the senses through interacting with horses and nature
• Unconditional acceptance, as horses do not pass judgment
• Playing and fun

Horses healing: The horses work through physical contact and also from a distance.

What have I learned?

I learned (and continue to learn) all of which I now share with my clients and what I have mentioned above, such as:

Emotional fitness and balance, recognizing and accepting emotions as messengers, head-heart-gut intelligence, patience, trust in the natural unfolding of things, insight into when it is time to step forward and act and when to sit back, wait and let others…

Also, I do not put myself above the animals. I go amongst them with a genuine enquiry as to ‘What wants to happen?’ and ‘What can we learn from each other today?’. Through this a doorway into a new world has opened for me, a world full of awe and wonder, gratitude, joy, connection, love, deep healing and unlimited potential.

Reawaken your senses in nature and with The Herd at AURORA VALLEY. Notice, align and integrate your own innate wisdom. Take time to smell the horses.

Visit Beate Sommer’s website at www.taketime2smellthehorses.com or ring on 0408 247 965.

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Why do we say ‘something makes sense’ or ‘common sense tells me’ or ‘talking nonsense’? And what are we actually saying?

A sense is a physiological capacity of organisms that provides data for perception. The senses and their operation, classification and theory are overlapping topics studied by a variety of fields, most notably neuroscience, cognitive psychology (or cognitive science), and philosophy of perception. The nervous system has a specific sensory system or organ, dedicated to each sense.

The five traditionally recognized senses are:

1. hearing
2. sight
3. taste
4. smell
5. touch

One might add:

6. Vestibular – the perception of our body in relation to gravity, movement and balance, i.e. knowing you are moving when in an elevator, knowing whether you are lying down or sitting up and being able to walk a balance beam.
7. Proprioception – the sense of the relative position of neighbouring parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement, it lets us know exactly where our body parts are, how we are positioned in space and to plan our movements, i.e. being able to clap our hands together with our eyes closed, write with a pencil and apply with correct pressure, and navigate through a narrow space. (7senses.org.au)

Therefore, senses are very much associated with the body and its physical functions providing information to the brain to be analyzed and processed.

However, when I think about common expressions containing the word ‘sense’, (here are a few more: ‘in a certain sense’, ‘bring someone to his senses’, ‘talk sense into someone’, ‘sensible’) it appears that mostly they relate to mind, being reasonable, level-headed, rational, intelligent and so on. In this sense, ‘sense’ appears to be relating more to cognitive functions and intellectual understanding.

There is also the well known description of our  ‘sixth sense’, which is often explained as extrasensory perception (ESP). ESP involves the reception of information not gained through the recognized senses and not internally originated. According to the National Science Foundation ESP is listed as pseudoscience. The expression ‘sixth sense’ is somewhat misleading in that it falsely suggests that there is only one additional sense besides the traditional five senses. Humans have at least five additional senses that include: nociception (pain); equilibrioception (balance); proprioception and kinaesthesia (joint motion and acceleration); sense of time; thermoception (temperature differences); and possibly an additional weak magnetoception (direction).

And then there is the expression ‘horse sense’, meaning:

• Common sense; practical thinking as in:

Bob is no scholar but he has a lot of horse sense. Horse sense tells me I should not be involved in that project.[1]

• Sound practical sense, as in: She’s got too much horse sense to believe his story. [2]
• Ordinary practical knowledge of the best way to deal with people and situations.[3]

So where exactly do emotions fit into the picture??

Emotions are a mostly unacknowledged sense and have the whole body as their sensory organ. According to Dr. Candace Pert, the internationally recognised pharmacologist emotion is not exclusively generated by the brain but in sites all through the body and especially in the heart and the gut. Hence the expression ‘having a gut feeling’.

Horses have large and sensitive guts and therefore increased surface area for resonating with emotional energy. Animal scientist and notable Autistic Dr. Temple Grandin says that horses make sound, emotion-based decisions all the time. To horses, emotion is simply information.

Animal beahvioural scientist and notable autistic, Dr. Temple Grandin:

In horse-human interactions, the horse senses underlying emotions, detecting the minutest changes in blood pressure, temperature, smell, body language, breathing and so on. If the human is putting on a face of confidence or cheerfulness while feeling frustrated, angry, afraid or sad, the horse detects this ‘mask’ as being incongruent with the muscle tension, raised heart rate, blood pressure and smell of the suppressed emotion.

When Grandin www.grandin.com talks about the emotion of ‘fear’, she mentions slow fear and fast fear. She says with slow fear the physical path through the brain takes twice as long than with fast fear. A scary stimulus coming in through the senses goes to the thalamus deep inside the brain, then to the cortex at the top of the brain for analysis.

With fast fear, the sensory information goes straight from the thalamus to the amygdala, avoiding the cortex. We have both options because we can’t get fast speed and accuracy in the same system. Fast fear can be so fast because it sacrifices accuracy.

The amygdala is the part of the brain that plays a significant role in the processing of memory, emotional reactions, trauma and fear.

Dr. Andrew McLean, (Equine Cognition and Learning), writes that out of all the domestic animals the horse has the largest amygdala yet on the other hand the horse’s heart rate is significantly lowered when groomed by other horses at the base of the neck. He goes on saying this also happens to a degree when groomed by a human in this way.

“You scratch my neck and I’ll scratch yours…” Positive reinforcement from mutual grooming.

I find the latter particularly fascinating because it shows the horse as having a finely tuned fear system with all the associated sensitivity and follow through action on one end of the spectrum and the ability to deeply relax the nervous system on the other which is exactly where clarity, healing and growth can occur.

Dr. Ellen Kaye Gehrke writes in her 2010 article The Horse-Human Heart Connection that measurements of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) by the Institute of Heart Math are suggesting humans may affect each other beyond verbal cues or body language, possibly through an electromagnetic field we radiate. She goes on to explain the HRV as heart rhythm patterns or the intervals between consecutive heartbeats which are independent of heart rate.

Dr. Ellen Gehrke – measuring the heart rate of the horse in different situations.

The same would be true then for horses and humans. With my own horses I have noticed that the more affectionate I am with them, the more I connect to deep gratitude and open myself to the healing and growth potential of our relationship the more the horses seek closeness and affection from me and the more there is a silent understanding developing. It is possible to direct emotional energy and intention towards another being and be received. It is my experience that a healing always goes both ways and that this holds true both for human-human and horse-human encounter (provided we allow it and put our intention to it).

Gehrke uses the terms ‘coherence’ and ‘incoherence’ and says it has been observed that when a ‘negative’ emotion such as anger or sadness is experienced, the heart rhythms become more erratic and imbalanced, whereas when a ‘positive’ emotion such as love or joy is experienced, the heart rhythm patterns seem more ordered and balanced.

However, I have also observed that horses seem to experience energy imbalances and blocks as tension such as when a person spends his/her energy keeping an emotion such as sadness or anger down and puts on a mask of cheerfulness or confidence (outside doesn’t match inside). I call this incongruent and I wonder if the heart rhythm patterns become more ordered and balanced once the person allows the suppressed emotion to surface (outside now matches inside) yet still feels it even if it is a so-called negative emotion.

It is my experience that I can feel comfortable and relaxed feeling uncomfortable when I allow the emotional energy to simply be and flow through me and when I take all judgments away from it.

Gehrke says that preliminary studies suggest that the horse’s HRV has a greater influence on the human than the other way round. In my mind this makes sense considering that horses are able to drop their heart rates so very low. Still, I like to think that an interchange, a healing between horse and human can benefit both providing sufficient safety is created first and an open, compassionate and allowing space is held by the facilitator. I see this as a balance between guiding and stepping out of the way to let Spirit come through.

To come back to the inquiry about use and meaning of expressions containing the word ‘sense’ it seems wise to broaden our understanding of what intelligence is. Let us reawaken our senses and spend regular time paying attention to what our body is saying to us. And if ‘horse sense’ is synonymous with common sense and practical thinking, all the more reason to use our gut and heart to assist our mind in decision making!

Reawaken your senses in nature and with The Herd at AURORA VALLEY. Notice, align and integrate your own innate wisdom. Take time to smell the horses.

Visit Beate Sommer’s website at www.taketime2smellthehorses.com or ring on 0408 247 965.

Sources:

• Jennifer Forsberg Meyer, What’s Your Horse Thinking? Horse & Rider (2015)

• Dr. Andrew McLean, Attachment Theory – The New Dimension, Horse Care & Health/ www.horsemagazine.com (2013)

• Dr Ellen Kaye Gerkhen, The Horse-Human Heart Connection, Results of Studies Using Heart Rate Variability published in NARHA’s STRIDES (2010) www.7senses.org.au

[1] McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

[2] The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

[3] Cambridge Idioms Dictionary, 2nd ed. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006.

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I get by with a little help from my friends….Rose, Echo and Tatonka (from left to right) are channelling energy to the client on the healing table. Her friend is sounding a Tibetan Bowl.

Merlin the pony is working on the client’s solar plexus area both through physical massaging and energy transmission. Tatonka is holding space.

A moment of deep connection and gratefulness at the end of the session.

If you are interested in experiencing a unique horse experience contact Beate Sommer at Aurora Valley Take Time 2 Smell The Horses  taketime2smellthehorses Heart Centered Emotional Intelligence and Energy Healing facilitated by HORSE.

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When a group of nine musicians, singers, horselovers and healers all came together for a day with Beate Sommer’s herd of horses at Aurora Valley, just outside Bangalow, some very special magic happened, and it just goes to show that love, as the song says, is a many splendoured thing…

From the top:

The gathering; Butters, the Shetland pony, meets Ketan, from Switzerland; Butters and Ketan, and Rose joins in; Doug plays a tune to Tammie; Gary serenades Buffalo; Wild thing, you make my heart sing – Gary and Rose; Doug and Buffalo in the groove together; a little moment between Butters and Doug; the herd decides to hang out with the humans; Elvina and Tammie; Marliese and Tammie; Please don’t go…(Photography: Anne Schrimpf)

“It was an extraordinary experience,” says Sommer, “there was a mutual seeking out, admiration and enjoyment of each other’s company.”

If you are interested in experiencing a unique horse experience contact Beate Sommer at Aurora Valley Take Time 2 Smell The Horses  taketime2smellthehorses Heart Centered Emotional Intelligence and Energy Healing facilitated by HORSE.

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Verandah Magazine’s spokesperson for all things ‘horse’, Beate Sommer from Aurora Valley, talks about how to have a ‘soft’ connection with our four-legged friends, and we can relate it to our two-legged companions as well…

Over the years I’ve often asked myself what exactly is ‘connection’ with our horses? Is it a physical feel? Is it mental clarity or an emotional flow?  Or is it maybe all of those things.

What I’ve come to believe is that to me connection is a soft feel, a clear mind and emotional awareness. If the feel is not soft, the mind not clear and the emotions not flowing, it is not a connection, it’s more likely a disconnection or a block, or a distortion leading to a misunderstanding and miscommunication.

Horses notice everything around them, near and far, while being acutely aware of their internal environment at the same time.  We can learn from horses how to become more attentive, how to sharpen our senses, how to be tuned into everything without losing connection with ourselves. They teach us how to bring our focus back to ourselves, how to notice, sense, assess, decide and act all in a short space of time, and then to return to ‘Self’ instead of having our focus hijacked and scattered.  Horses are keenly observant yet without judgement. They take everything as it presents itself and experience energy in its purest form.

Horses interacting – playing, noticing, assessing…all ‘in the moment’

Misbehaviour in a horse is a form of communication. Looking at it from this perspective means we don’t have to judge it as bad and we don’t have to punish the horse. Horsemanship becomes a lot more inclusive instead of being exclusive. Everything is welcome and allows us to know the horse a little better. This is a step towards more softness and connection.

Just think how tolerant horses are of our misbehaviours! They are constantly trying to read us – our body language, our verbal cues, our thoughts and our emotions. Plus they can tune into our heart rate, body odours, even our slightest muscular tensions.

Horses also experience our misbehaviour as a form of communication. They sense when we are incongruent. Our incongruence lies in the energy blocks, the random and often unfocussed thoughts, our deeper and more hidden emotions, our intention and so on. Horses respond to these rather unconscious aspects of ourselves. They also respond to us when we are soft and connected and then they become soft too and we experience flow and harmony, even if just for the briefest moment. It is important to pause after such special moments to let them into your whole system so your being can remember the joy later on.

When we have softness we no longer need boundaries but until we have softness, boundaries are necessary. This is true for relationships with people too.  Connection with our horses presupposes connection with Self. Let us be soft with ourselves, especially in moments of misbehaviour. If we can be soft in our approach to ourselves, the misbehaviour-like communication, the disconnection from that aspect, which communicates in a distorted way, will feel safe to be seen and acknowledged.

Learn to read yourself honestly and with kindness. Speak to yourself in the same way. Soften those parts within that have become rigid. Then we can relax and our brains can think of creative ways to be and do with the horse. Our hearts offer us the kindness and patience to make the best decision in each moment. Our gut tells us what is safe and what is not.

Practise connecting the three centers of intelligence: head, heart, gut.

I read somewhere that ‘hate is just a funny kind of love standing upside down’. I’m mentioning it because in a way any misbehaviour is like that… love standing upside down.

So, keep grounded, listen to your heart and gut, and be guided by Spirit. Then your mind will use its positive, creative intelligence and your decisions will be for the higher good of All.

AURORA VALLEY Take Time to Smell the Horses offers Natural Horsemanship with Emotional Awareness, Equine Assisted Learning and Equine Facilitated Energy Healing.

“Horses and Nature as a Path to Awakening, 31 Authentic Voice Cards for Heart Centered Emotional Intelligence – Daily Inspiration and Practical Wisdom straight from the Horse’s Mouth”
by Beate Maria Sommer

Available now from: taketime2smellthehorses

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