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Bodies Keeping The Score: Horse Training And Healing Trauma
How working with difficult horses has transformed my own healing journey
Standing in the muddy pasture, I studied the pretty palomino about ten feet in front of me. The mare nervously bobbed her head as she waited for me to act. She was used to people making her do things and doing things to her. Yet this time, she had a choice — and she wasn’t sure what to choose.
The mare took a tentative step toward me. I pressed the little plastic clicker in my hand, which made distinctive noise, and tossed a tidbit of food into a bucket in front of the palomino mare. Surprised, she reached her nose in and started crunching on the treat. I took a step toward her. She didn’t move. I clicked, tossed another tidbit, and let her chew.
Behind me, the owner of the horse watched — most likely wondering what this strange interaction might result in. When the owner came to me for help her complaints were that the mare was difficult to catch from the pasture, reluctant to be touched, and difficult to handle during necessary tasks like getting her hooves trimmed. Horses’ hooves are constantly growing, so routine trims are essential to their quality of life.
For this horse to be happy and successful in the care of her owner and have a good…
