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Helping Horses With Trauma Is Healing My Own
A new generation of horse trainers are using human psychology-informed practices to support equines with behavioral challenges — but the benefits extend to us as well.
When we think of horse trainers, we tend to picture grizzled old cowboys in dusty hats “whispering” to wild horses. But this stereotype isn’t too far from the truth — for decades, men like Buck Brannaman (star of the movie “Buck”), Monty Roberts (author of Shy Boy), Pat Parelli, and Clinton Anderson are just a few of the cowboy-types that have inspired and led horse owners around the world.
Throughout history, horses were beasts of burden laboring on farms and in cities to make human industriousness possible. Today horses in developed countries are almost solely used for recreation. However, the same forceful training methods and even some of the same medieval practices and equipment are still relied on by horse trainers and owners.
Much of the horse world is still stuck in outdated theories of dominance and respect — equestrians are taught to act like the “herd boss” by making horse’s feet move to command respect. Machoism and toxic masculinity, including intensely sexist views of female horses (called mares), are pervasive in the industry.
