Grooming in Sport Horse barns my heart would ache for the occasional non sporty child. The ones who wanted to connect intuitively with minimal distractions (instructions…  ad infinitum )

In my twenties, I had the pleasure of working at Sandpiper Farm, located on the JP Morgan estate in Eatons Neck, NY. Sandpiper has one of the largest privately held beaches in NY and hundreds of acres of meadows and woodlands, still hunted by horse and hound.      

The farm had about 40 heads at the time, a riding school geared towards eventing, and also a Top Instructor of Sidesaddle Equitation. There was a strong presence of field hunters too and I rode with the best. The owner, a large animal veterinarian, shared my interest in carriage driving and we pursued that together. However, my most valued takeaway from Sandpiper was lessons learned during midday free time, with the herd in the upper pasture. Reading a copy of Dr Schafer’s book: The Language of the Horse.

This is taken from the inner sleeve: The Language of the Horse

“In this fascinating book, Michael Schafer examines the horse’s point of view. He analyzes the sense or senselessness of the behavior of both partners and the horse’s usefulness to man. The habits of the horse under natural conditions and in domestication, the rhythm of daily life, social and sexual behavior, the birth of a foal, mare, and foal relationships, and play behavior are all described in the first part of the book. The second part deals with the proper language of the horse — sounds, mimicry, gestures, and bearing.

This book is the specific result of practical behavioral research by the author, who has tried to lessen the difficulties of misunderstanding that exist between man and the horse and to create a more pleasant relationship, free from friction. This work contains a mass of hitherto unpublished material and is a mine of information for the student of hippology. It is based on the author’s experience as a veterinarian and scientist and, above all, on his lifelong connection with various breeds of horses.

A guide for all horse lovers who are not only interested in the physical but also the ✨Spiritual welfare of the animals. It is also a book of signal value in general behavioral investigation.”

I rarely sell a horse; the ones I have often go with a copy of that book.

Over the years many people have labeled me a horse whisperer.  I’ve never tried to cash in on that label. It seems wrong to profit from what is to me somehow Sacred. I don’t agree with the natural horsemanship techniques that are associated with the phrase horse whisperer. However, there is one quote from Nicolas Evans book that did ring true for me…”There were gypsies and showmen, shamans and charlatans. And those who truly had the gift were wont to guard it wisely, for it was said that he who drove the devil out, might also drive him in. The owner of a horse you calmed might shake your hand, then dance around the flames while they burned you in the Village Square. For secrets uttered softly into pricked and troubled ears, these men were known as Whisperers.” Nicholas Evans

The Horse Whisperer

When I was writing the mission statement for Stable Environment Equine Rehabilitation I tried to garner support for sharing the” Horse Medicine “ Over the years the practical people who wanted to support the rescues I gathered never really got that.. I refused to bastardize my ideals. The horses and the left-brained, right-handed supporters moved on and I was left to take a hard look at what seemed like casting pearls before swine. But my frustration has turned into compassion, with a sense of urgency. People need Horses more than ever, especially the children. And yet the modern lifestyle that horses are the antidote for is also taking its toll on them. Before I get into that, a bit about “Horse Medicine.”

Horses, electromagnetic fields, and the value of the animal

If you’re reading this now, you may have picked up one of my postcards or perhaps you’ve visited my website, Stable Environment Equine Rehabilitation. Back in 1998 when I was writing the mission statement for S.E.E.R. I mentioned “Promoting the belief that a horse is of value for its Being, Nature, or “Medicine”, as opposed to the popular belief that a horse’s value is equal to its ability to perform physically.” This like much ancient wisdom and energy medicine is now verified by scientific research. It is worth repeating that: “Studies conducted by the Institute of HeartMath provide a clue to explain the bidirectional "healing" that happens when we are near horses. According to researchers, the heart has a larger electromagnetic field and a higher level of intelligence than the brain: A magnetometer can measure the heart's energy field radiating up to 8 to 10 feet around the human body. While this is certainly significant it is perhaps more impressive that the electromagnetic field projected by the horse's heart is five times larger than the human one (imagine a sphere-shaped field that surrounds you). The horse's electromagnetic field is also stronger than ours and can directly influence our heart rhythm! 
Horses are also likely to have what science has identified as a "coherent" heart rhythm (heart rate pattern) which explains why we may "feel better" when we are around them. . . .studies have found that a coherent heart pattern or HRV is a robust measure of well-being and consistent with emotional states of calm and joy--that is, we exhibit such patterns when we feel positive emotions.

Hold that thought…and add to it this; from the book Earthing;” Throughout most of evolution humans walked barefoot and slept on the ground, largely oblivious that the surface of the Earth contains limitless healing energy. Science has discovered this energy as free-flowing electrons constantly replenished by solar radiation and lightning. Few people know it, but the ground provides a subtle electric signal that maintains health and governs the intricate mechanisms that make our bodies work - just like plugging a lamp into a power socket makes it light up. Modern lifestyle, including the Widespread Use of Insulative  Rubber or Plastic-Soled Shoes, has disconnected us from this energy and, of course, we no longer sleep on the ground as we did in times past. “. Add to that the constant EMFs we are exposed to and it’s easy to see the combined benefits of the horses’ aura and the four of its legs being grounded… Astride your bareback horse on a trail is a sweet antidote to modern lifestyles.

These days commercial stables all install rubber mats on the floors of the horses’ stalls effectively insulating them from the earth for between 16-20 hours a day. I feel like if you are into holistic living for you and your furbabies old-fashioned dirt is of benefit. It is now possible to buy organic horse feed.  The status quo for most feed is ultra-processed preservative-laden food. I once was talking to a driver from a local feed mill as he unloaded some feed at my barn. He told me the pellets were made from old bread and Entenmann's bakery items! 🤮 That was my last delivery from Eastport Feeds 😆.  You can choose to have your own stable, feed your horses organics, and properly cure hay ( as opposed to hay sprayed with mold retardant). I liken it to homeschooling. Let your barn and horses be a source of energy, a healing place for your family and friends. And you be the Horse Whisperer 💖 What does horse whispering mean?

Horse whispering is about building a rapport with horses and instilling discipline and respect through gentle training techniques that are grounded in understanding horse behavior. The key is to communicate with the horse in a way that strengthens the horse-human bond and encourages natural cooperation. 💕