18/05/2024
Oh wow, this is very much the ethos behind my Flow rides - as in the opposite of some traditional methods that erode trust. There is no position of power, only flow. The feelings for both horse and riders during the sessions are soft and connecting. The work that arises from this is the reward.
Are Traditional Training Methods Eroding Our Humanity?
In her book, Stormy May eloquently outlines how the common training practices used with horses - methods that rely on force, fear, and the suppression of the animal's natural behaviors - take a tremendous physical and psychological toll on the horses themselves.
However, May also argues that these same training approaches have a profoundly damaging impact on the humans who engage in them, slowly eroding our capacity for empathy, compassion, and authentic connection.
May explains that when we are constantly in a mode of needing to overpower, control and coerce another being (in this case, the horse) in order to get what we want, it has a corrosive effect on our own inner landscape. We become hardened, less able to truly see and attune to the needs of others.
This can manifest in a variety of harmful ways. May suggests that riders who are steeped in traditional training methods may become increasingly:
Disconnected from their own authenticity and emotional intelligence. Constantly having to project an image of dominance and mastery, they lose touch with their deeper feelings, vulnerabilities and capacity for vulnerability.
Obsessed with status, hierarchy and performance. The focus becomes all about winning, beating competitors, and proving one's superiority - rather than cultivating mutual understanding and care.
Lacking in empathy and compassion. When we're in a mindset of needing to conquer and subdue another being, it becomes very difficult to respond with empathy, patience and consideration for their experience.
Prone to aggression, violence and a sense of entitlement. The mentality of "I can make you do what I want through the application of force" can easily spill over into other areas of life, leading to abusive or domineering behaviors.
Distrustful and closed-off in relationships. Having to constantly be "on guard" and in control when working with horses, it becomes challenging to approach human relationships with genuine openness and vulnerability.
May shares how she personally struggled with these dynamics, even as an accomplished and respected horse trainer. The more she immersed herself in traditional methods, the more she felt her own humanity slipping away. It was only when she was willing to question these approaches and seek out alternative, more compassionate ways of relating to horses that she began to reclaim her authentic self.
Ultimately, May believes that our treatment of horses serves as a mirror, reflecting back to us the very best and worst of our human qualities. If we are willing to be honest about the harm that traditional training methods inflict - not just on the horses, but on our own capacity for empathy and care - it can be a profound catalyst for personal and societal transformation.
By letting go of the need to dominate and control, and instead learning to listen, attune and engage in authentic partnership, we unlock new levels of harmony, not just with our equine friends, but within ourselves and our human relationships as well.
It's a powerful invitation to evolve, both individually and collectively, in service of a more compassionate world. But it starts with the willingness to see the truth, however uncomfortable it may be.
To read the pre-release version of the book "A Better World for Horses and Humans" as well as see many exclusive videos and other content please subscribe to her Patreon account. https://www.patreon.com/posts/latest-version-75003597
