Recently, in putting together the details of one of the Farming For Resilience sessions, I had the opportunity to illustrate and define simple horse language. I titled it "Horse Language 101". Please read it, if interested.
In a nut shell, it gives a simple definition of simple horse "language".
Throughout my life, I have had the occasional priviledge of spending time in locations where English is not the primary language spoken. Although my father was a genius in foreign language, I never made it past any "101". French, Latin and Spanish, most notably. Not that I didn't try! Foreign language seems (and seemed) FOREIGN to me. I TRIED, tried and tried. And FINALLY embraced that my second language is "Horse." Farming For Resilience teaches the core values of courage, gratitude, forgiveness and compassion through the use of horses. It takes a lot of courage for participants to interact with the horses. Just as it take a lot of courage to travel in to a place where your communication is limited to body language. Only a handful of participants have any experience with horses, and often it is the memory of a "pony" ride. So to most participants, the courage comes in learning the language of the horse. Clear learning comes when we are comfortable. Understanding the "language" of the surroundings is important for comfort. So my role is, as an interpreter between horse and human, to establish comfort through clarity. Thus the simple "Horse Language 101". Once I traveled to South America. As you now know, I am not fluent in a foreign language. I had my handy simple translation dictionary in hand as I stepped in to a taxi for a several hour ride. Not taking in that my body functions were ticking, I did not think to use a restroom prior to departure. As the journey went on, and as my bladder slowly ballooned I became aware of my predicament. How do I ask for a pit stop? I panicked and flipped through the dictionary trying to find a polite way to ask for a bathroom. To no avail. I tried. But we ended out along the side of the road so I could "stretch my legs". When we finally reached our destination, I walked cross-legged (and cross eyed) to the closest restroom. As I put together the simpe Horse Language 101, the thought crossed my mind "how simple it would be if I could do this for us.... Human Language 101. Illustrated and defined. All the basics in how humans relate to one another, in four simple pages. If only we humans were as direct, clear and straight forward as our four legged friends! Study on, whatever your language of choice. All the best, Christina
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