Hardly Whispering

I recently caught up with whirlwind trainer Katherine Barbarite [Whispering Hooves LLC] at her hideaway in the woods. Who’d of thunk you could find miles of unabated trails tucked in between the hustle and bustle of New York’s recently pummeled Long Island. Super-storm Sandy had left the area with little electricity or gasoline, so the ever resourceful trainer settled into her sand and scrub pine lined forest parkways aboard steed Romeo. I followed closely on another of her auto-pilot yet responsive herd members, Cherokee. Talking was easy meandering up hills and long winding paths, it was even easier to listen (‘Record’ app engaged) as Katherine offered up tidbits of her philosophy. I’m certain I got a one on one of her popular ‘Instructional Trails Program’. “You have to Connect with their mind, then, the feet will follow. So many so called trainers make a horse submit to move its feet. Some coax, some force, some use intimidating posture, some use sticks or whips, some lunge the energy right out of their so called partner.” She is clearly bothered by “what some people think is NATURAL horsemanship”. “They accomplish foot movement by being dominant in one way or another. It takes a lot of effort, patience, skill, practice, experience and knowledge to truly be your horse’s partner.” Make no bones about it, this woman takes her relationship with her horses to a higher level. Stroking Romeo’s neck, she quips “I always wonder what goes on in their mind when people bring out the whip, the stick, or ropes, or even spurs. What would you think?” Her disapproving scowl left no doubt what I should think. Thankfully I had no spurs on my boots, whew. “Double reins, brutal bits…really(?)…you wouldn’t do that to your dog.” “People need to understand herd mentality and structure. From the earliest age, the mare is teaching, communicating and nurturing the foal…not with whips or stick either. As partner, I sort of fit into the mold of the nurturer. That doesn’t mean I can’t be definitive and leave no doubt what I’m asking for. But,” she turns around in her saddle to punctuate, “never forget their instincts. After so many years training horses and their people it is second nature for me to be in that frame of mind…for others, well, I think they mean well, but can easily lose focus and slip back to being dominant, the boss, if you know what I mean.”

Our ride continues until a branch scrapes the lid from my head. “Whoa” as I shift to reverse to retrieve my hat. Katherine reminds me in her patient yet authoritative clinician voice…”A s k, w a i t, g I v e”. One of her programs is all about getting the results you want WITH, not from, your horse by ASKING (seat first), WAITING (let it sink in), and GIVING (praising for the right result). Cherokee backs, around a tree, with smooth purpose with barely an ASK from my seat.
Back on the porch our discussion of ‘connection’ continues. Katherine’s turquoise bracelets rattle with her passion and her voice arches “not communicating properly results in our partners demonstrating their displeasure. Misunderstanding, confusion, and frustration can be the precursor to behaviors like biting, kicking, rearing, and bucking.” “When WE communicate properly, their feet will follow seamlessly, fluently. It gets to the point where less is more, less pressure, more responsive. I like to say it’s like a joyful dance”. ‘So’, I ask, ‘communication is the key?’ (I think she wanted to say “Duh”) “When we get involved, there is nothing truly natural, we compromise their balance, movement, and timing. You try moving with a saddle and rider on your back, how natural does that feel?”
Off the porch and to the corral, lead rope in hand, dancing with Waco, the diminutive trainer explains “this process of working the horse’s feet After you have connected with the (horse’s) mind, resolves and eliminates stress. Challenges to authority and resistance to perform are gone.” “Shhh” she says, so I stop my question mid stream bringing her a hearty laugh. “No, no, not you. See, there too, perfect, even human communication can be tricky.” “S h h h” she explains is an acronym for one of her ground based ‘Connection’ clinics standing for: Soul, Heart, Hand, Halter. “Basically, I am an advocate for the horse and I keep the horse’s well-being first, that’s what I teach. Though a Certified Horse Trainer and Certified Horsemanship Association (English & Western) accredited trainer, she questions convention. Her favorite learning tool: “ask WHY”. She is asking Waco to move but with barely a movement, the only ‘tool’ her lead rope (though slackly engaged). I offer up another softball when I ask about lunging. Her response: “Ay yay yay” (wait for it)…”Why?” Not a fan of lunging, ‘yielding the hind quarters’, using “what some people call tools” (whips, sticks, nose chains) or ven “exaggerated, often intimidating” body language. She exalts: “did you ever see a Mare run a foal in circles, make it move just its’ rear end; how ‘bout pick up a stick? Their communication is imperceptible to people unfamiliar with horses. The flick of an ear or swoosh of a tail, the speed and intensity in which just those things are done say so much. People seem to like to photograph horses eyes, those eyes say so much. If every horseperson could just go to open pasture with a herd, well, it changes perspective. We could benefit a lot more from horses’ communication skills.”
Often targeted to help ‘problem’ horses, this troubleshooter spares no bullets. Katherine is a straight shooting advocate for the horse and has proven solutions for creating lasting partnerships. No bells, whistles, or labels to sell, she speaks directly from her heart with the goal of transitioning horse and rider to become “two as one”.
Katherine Barbarite of Whispering Hooves
Gentle Solutions to Partnership and Confidence.
Clinics, workshops, seminars, and lessons.
www.whisperinghooves.com or call at 631 764 7515

by Mark Munzert

Mind vs Feet

Mind Vs Feet

“Connect with the Mind and the Feet will Follow”

‘What do you mean by that Katherine?’ 

I will say this, I spend a lot of time listening and working with horses.  Experience allows me to answer with conviction.  Many so called ‘trainers’ can get a reaction or have a horse submit to demands.  Many ‘accomplish’ this by becoming the “dominant” leader.   

But what goes on inside their minds, I often ask myself, when we introduce implements such as a whip, sticks, ropes or even spurs?

I often give a description to this as follows, “This is no different than turn on your car, open the door, roll down the street, then proceed to run after it and jump in”. This can really never have a good outcome all the time, most often than not, the end result leaves us with injuries along with a bruise to our ego.

The Introduction from human to horse starts with a trusting partnership.  Certainly, both the mind and feet need to be addressed, but they need to be looked at as an entire entity.

A horse’s mindset, has been such, that they are prey to all the territorial pedators for hundreds of thousands of years, where life preservation is their first thought. The humans have tapped into this fear and now become the “dominant leader”. I would prefer to be the horses “nurturing leader”.  The reason being, I would be the one they would trust and mimicking as a herd member.

Connecting with the mind allows you to achieve what you are looking for, helping the horse set up for success. When I ask a horse for participation in a ride, they are more than willing to be an equal team member.

Not communicating with the mind can result in our partners voicing their displeasure. The lack of understanding, demonstrated as confusion and frustration, becomes the precursor to many behaviors such as biting, bucking, rearing and kicking.

Once communication is established, the feet can now follow direction with less resistance. Understanding   a horses movement components, allows us to direct them to follow in a dance like fluent motion. Even when eventing in the saddle, less pressure is needed more response is shown.

We should never forget, we have not created the method in which the horse’s feet move.  Horses in a natural herd are taught at an early stage of life. Unfortunately when we get involved, their balance, movement and timing are compromised.

 This process of working the horse’s feet, after you have connected with the horse’s mind, resolves and eliminates stress. Challenge of authority and resistance to perform, are now minimized. 

Allowing you and your equine partner, more time to enjoy each other, sharing the compassion of one living being to another. Discovering new journeys with your horse having the ability to ask instead of tell.

Fall is Upon Us

Wet season is here everyone. Don't forget to pick your horses hooves to prevent thrush. Brush the horses fur to help the sebaceous glands develop a thick winter coat and prevent rain rot.
Remember to clean out stalls and paddocks to help the ground dry, so your horses are not standing in wet mud all day long.
Connecting with your partner, so that both are on the same page. At last, ride to help all muscles and ligaments stay warm and flexible. Ride safe and be well.

                  Romeo's Day

Romeo my horse has been diagnosed after many months of off and on lameness, with a navicular cyst. It has been a “head scratching” episode because he has successfully over compensated his body so that he was able to mask it up till now. After bouts of false predictions of Lyme’s disease or even arthritis finally broke down and seriously asked my horse to help me and admit I needed help of his intelligence. He in response lifted his right foot repeatedly and kneeled. In response I had tears in my eyes, and called a lameness vet to come look. He took x rays of my horse’s right front hoof. It was then that I was reminded once again how a horse really does give everything to their partner and I was going to do the same back as usual. There are many procedures and medication available and I chose the natural way. I started natural pure calcium to see if we can encourage the bone to fill in and harden. For three months re x rayed and found no change to better or worse and was then approached to try Tilden injection. I did my homework and found no conclusive evidence that would say it works only that horses that were getting it were on a pain management series as well. Then of course there was nerving him and that in my eyes was not an option. Then I approached a farrier who would work with me because I trim naturally, to stay as much in that realm as possible. We decided to place conservatively, egg bar shoes on my horse’s fronts. We didn’t have to square the toe no pads just the shoe. Now I have him on a “Spring Training”to strengthen his ligaments, muscles and allowing time for Romeo to get used to the change of having a shoe for the first time. I will say for the first time in a long time he is walking and tracking well, trotting and cantering straight again!!

Most 'navicular cysts' have been with the horse since birth and are OCD (osteochondrosis dessicans) lesions that cannot be directly linked to unsoundness. Adding calcium to the diet or even using Tildren will not resolve OCD. The offending cartilage has to be surgically removed and the cavity filled with stem cells to resolve the situation. This is a very difficult procedure to do in this area and since this is not a common seat of lameness, would not be helpful for the horse.

WHISPERING HOOVES ALRIGHT

Whispering Hooves alright:

I knew of my associate and dear friend’s talents with horses having worked side by side with Katherine on numerous occasions. 

I watched as she gentled a strong mare in demonstration at a National Day of the American Cowboy event.  That mare kicked through the wooden boards of the arena fence in an attempt to bolt even before Katherine entered the ring.  Multiple rearing and fore legs jabbing required her firm control and she exorcised the demon out and within fifteen minutes had a supple, comfortable and responding horse.

I’ve seen her ease an adopted, at sixteen years old, BLM Mustang with serious human trust issue.  From backing away from, too, forwarding and following closely without lead or cue other than body language.

I listened as a jovial clinic participant declared Katherine a ‘whisperer’ after attaining a theretofore unattainable result while astride her horse.  Truly there was methodology employed yet the communication that she imparted to horse and rider made them a better team. 

Once, I followed her as her mount bucked, spun, bumped into trees, reared and nearly rolled as both were swarmed by bees from a ground nest.  They escaped safe, sound, controlled, and calm.

But one recent instance made me a, yet, bigger believer than before.  Granted, like many, some skepticism to the very mention of ‘whisperer’ is part of my DNA.  Perhaps less than others, because as a horseman, my greatest pleasure with horses are the relationships.   I digress:  While in attendance at the Women’s Horse Industry Network (WHIN) conference I happened to the vicinity of Broadway in the heart of Nashville’s tourism and live music venues.  With Katherine, I strode from the undisputed home of traditional country music in ‘Nash-Vegas’ (Robert’s Western World - highly recommended) to another spot.  Being ‘horse-people’, we had previously noticed and commented on the condition, gaits, and looks of the many tourist-toting, wagon-walking, draft-crosses sharing Broadway.  These dragen 'share’ the roads with darting taxis, blaring sirens, horns, pedestrians, musicians, peddlers, and tourists.  While walking the opposite side of the street, Katherine commented…not so much to me, but sort of.  As the words ‘he’s hurting’ slipped from her mouth, the gentle giant with blinders, from forty some odd feet away slowed, turned, and nodded directly at Katherine.   Katherine briefly stopped, though I don’t think she realized she had.  For a few seconds it seemed everything else halted too.  There was still honking cars, and music escaping the walls and doors of bars, and people streamed by, but a trans-fixation was interrupting the moment.  I remember closing my eyes, shaking my head as if to stop a rattle, and opening my lids to a furrowed brow.  I, we, walked on.  I told Katherine I’d never seen anything quite like it and that I recognized her gift and talent.  Now, Katherine’s not under confident but also not boastful as she repeated naturally and with concern, ‘he’s hurting’.   He went the way his driver drove and we went on about our way to dinner.  As happenstance would have it, as we released from ‘twang’s’ grip later that evening, we met head on with the dapple Shire awaiting his next passenger street side.  Adjacent the banjo player, there in the greasy street, with noise, commotion, and darkness interrupted by neon, Katherine met him again.  I engaged the carriage driver as Katherine communed with her new friend.  Surreal, ethereal, but ‘true as rain’ (that’s a Katherine-ism) they conversed.  She greeted him, he responded.  Enough time lapsed that I met yet another transplant Nashvilian minstrel.  Katherine’s soft speak continued.  Eventually moving to his flank, his neck flexed and followed Katherine as it had from across the street earlier.  She checked brisket, belly, and stifle.  Returning to his stomach the draft indicated confirmation of her diagnosis and upon mentioning so too did the amiable carriage cowboy.  That hack driver jawed on to Katherine about ‘this particular fellers’ issue and it was as she suspected.  I made my way to greet this ‘old boy’ as a couple approached, he then had to go to work.  We parted in opposite directions but I’m certain this experience traveled with me and Katherine. 

The instance came to the fore in our conversations since.  Though it seems common-place for her, it was an extraordinary circumstance for me.  Perhaps too, an extraordinary destiny for Katherine and the horses she whispers with.   

A TRAIL TALE

Back some time ago when I was managing a barn that offered Trail rides, I took an appointment on the phone that had me chuckle in surprise. A woman had called to arrange a party of three to ride on the trail that day and had a couple of questions for me before there arrival.

First she asked the most popular question it was about how much land we ride on and about the horses then asked what kind of saddles we used. Answering her questions to the fullest I told her that we only use western saddles in the trails for the clients safety. She then asked, "what is the difference between a Western and English saddle?" I replied well.. the western saddle has a pommel and a horn . With a gasp behind the phone, a response was given as such"Well if there is so much traffic on your trail, I do not care to ride them." then abruptly hung up. I stared in the air as if I saw a Ferris wheel, thought for a minute, and started laughing with disbelief of what I heard.

If anything it has lasted all these years and is a favorite told on my Instruction Trail Rides.

Enjoy all!!!

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