Horses have been domesticated for many years, and from the very beginning, it was us teaching them. We attached our ropes, harnesses, saddles, and ideas unto them. We taught them what to be, think, and do.

And amazingly, they went along. Horses obliged us. When we asked them to carry us just where we wanted to go — and sometimes in the most dangerous circumstances — they did. After all, horses were the very first war vehicle.

And when we asked them to carry us in the way we wanted to go, again, they did. We hitched their heads up high, and weighted their feet, so that the picture would be pleasurable to us. And still, they did.

Regardless of how absurd and even threatening our ideas may have seemed to a horse, still they obliged our desires, putting their emotions, and even very primal need for protection aside. Simply because we asked.

And now, it to them that we turn. Because they have shown us the way. Horses live in the way that we can only aspire to. They live in the moment, fully aware of their emotions, and yet, they put these emotions aside to serve us — even when it makes no sense to them.

So it is now us who learns from them. As they help us uncover the unconscious processes that drive our behavior and guide our emotional reality, they don’t struggle with knowing these things about themselves as we do. And they don’t struggle with knowing right from wrong — as we do. To a horse, there is only one way. It is the way. There is no right and wrong. There are no judgments, no confusion, and no lack of humanity.

While they may fight with one another, it is with grace. For when one horse backs down, the other backs off. And a horse that is ousted from one herd, will in a time of need, quickly be accepted into another.

And maybe this is the most important lesson that we can learn from a horse — that is, how to treat each other humanely.

With America’s endless fascination with horse racing, and his own personal history with the sport, it’s no surprise that David Milch decided to introduce a new HBO series with horses right at the heart. Boasting such fame as Dustin Hoffman, Nick Nolte, Kevin Dunn, and even real life former jockey, Gary Stevens, “Luck” promises a thrilling ride.

While many books such as Seabiscuit, Ruffian, Wild Ride, and Secretariat have offered the public a glimpse into the inner workings of the thoroughbred racing industry, never before has a television series revolved around it.

And this time, not just the details of the pick six, trifecta, and boxed bets are revealed, but the intricate relationships that comprise life at the track are given their due time as well, as viewers are introduced to “Ace” played by Dustin Hoffman as the ex-con race horse owner trying to make his way back onto the track.

Then there’s Walter Smith (played by Nick Nolte) as the up to no good trainer, trying to make his daily bread in any way he can, and Jerry (Jason Gedrick), a washed up handicapper waging everything to win back a few dollars — and perhaps a bit of pride.

But the cast of characters aren’t the only underdogs. In the first race, Mon Gateau, a 12-1 racehorse who hasn’t run in two years, is going to try his hand (hoof) at a 2.2 million dollar purse.

And as you watch in suspense and cheer him on, you get the feeling that winning this race is about much more than just which horse is the fastest. It’s about redemption, and all the human frailties that threaten it.

Here are a few reviews:

http://marquee.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/30/hbo-switches-up-drama-formula-with-luck/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6ecnq1P_d8

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2012/01/decoding-luck.html

Today it is not surprising that online education is becoming more frequently the common medium of information dissemination. For just about every topic, it seems as though there is a webinar or teleseminar that one can register for easily, and attend from the comfort of one’s couch. However, it is a bit surprising that something as experiential as equine therapy can be taught via the internet, yet it is most certainly true.

So just what is taught through these webinars? Everything from discussions about the ethical treatment of horses in equine assisted therapy to the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association’s (NARHA) approach to treating autism, and grant application process for attempting to secure funding for equine therapy research.

The Horses and Humans Research Foundation even has a list of webinars they produce on a regular basis. Here is the link:

http://www.horsesandhumans.org/News.html#Webinars

And the Horses Helping People Foundation also has several webinars listed on their site which can serve as a wonderful resource either for practicing equine therapists, or people who are just interested in learning more about equine therapy. Here is their link:

http://www.horseshelpingpeoplema.com/webinar.html

In addition to the two organizations listed above, NARHA also regularly hosts webinars which are typically targeted more toward learning about developmental disabilities and how they may be assisted through equine therapy. Here is the link:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/50732435/NARHA-Webinar-with-Autism-NOW-March-10-2011

Now, through the help of technology, those who might otherwise be intimidated by a 1200 pound horse can still learn about equine therapy and the wonderful benefits it offers. And with a little luck, this may just inspire them to don a pair of cowboy boots and attempt a little of their own work with a horse!

Best,
Claire Dorotik

Dust settled as the leather fringe of well-worn chaps flung in the wind and the young cowboy pulled his horse to a quick stop. Then, clutching his reins in frustration, he looked up at the sky and shook his head. His horse had taken the wrong lead… again. (The horse’s lead describes the leg he leads off of when cantering. For example to canter to the right, the horse must be on the right lead, and the left lead to go left. When on the incorrect lead, the horse has trouble cantering in a balanced way.) “Well hold up just a second,” a steady voice broke the silence, and the young cowboy turned toward a lean man resting easily on his horse, who stood resting a hind leg and dozing off. “Do you know how to prepare him to take the right lead?”

The younger rider shook his head, and looked quizzically at the older horseman. “No.”

“See the preparation is the most important part,” the older cowboy’s soft blue eyes looked intently at the young man, who had turned his horse to face him.

The older cowboy lifted his rein and continued, “See, what you do is you set him up to take the right lead by teaching him first to move his hindquarters just a bit in the direction you want to go.” Moving his horse’s hind legs to the right he glanced over his shoulder at the well-muscled right hindquarter of his horse. “See, in order to take the right lead, he’s gotta shift his weight slightly onto the right hind leg. So you practice moving your horse’s hind quarters from one side to the other.

“Maybe you start off at the walk,” he went on, “and just walk down the fence line, and every few steps move his hindquarters over. And sure, he’ll move ‘em back where he prefers them. You know every horse has a certain preferred way of travel. So you just practice shifting that a little bit, until he starts to almost do it on his own.

“So then maybe you do this at the trot. You trot a few steps, shift his haunches over, and then,” he paused, “you walk.” He scans the faces of the riders all intently focused on him to be sure they got the point. “See, you don’t canter there, because the preparation is more important than the action.” And if your horse is not ready, and you rush him, he’ll take his preferred lead… every time.” He paused again, letting the words sink in.

I hit the pause button and thought about just what the cowboy, Buck Branaman, meant, and just what this meant in human relationships.

It’s true, people are inpatient, and often come to therapy wanting to dive right into the issues… again, no preparation. While they may be quick to pinpoint conflicts and patterns — and even therapists can do this — for some couples, the idea of what resolution looks like, or even how to prepare for it, can be rather elusive.

So, thinking about the importance of resolution, I turned toward the young couple that had come in to resolve their marital conflicts, and asked, “Do you know how to prepare for resolution?”

Two faces turned toward me, puzzled. “Well,” I paused, “how would you lay the ground work for a disagreement turning out okay?”

“Well, I guess we wouldn’t be so mad,” the woman turned toward her husband. He gazed back at her, his face softening. “And maybe we wouldn’t be yelling at each other.”

“So, you’d probably be a lot nicer to each other in order to prepare for resolution of the conflict?” I asked.

Two nods followed.

“Well,” I looked back at them as intently as Buck, the cowboy who had looked at the other riders, “you see, the preparation is the most important part — more important in fact than the actual resolution of the conflict.”

Peter Leone and Select winning the $100,000 Grand Prix of Devon. Photo by Charles Fox

Wellington, FL – January 13, 2012 – Olympic Silver Medalist Peter Leone will join Kimberly S. Jaussi, Ph.D., at a workshop, “Leadership, Vision and the Equestrian Athlete”, to share his experiences, answer questions and offer advice. The workshop will be held during the College Preparatory Invitational (CPI) in the Special Events Pavilion at the Palm Beach Equestrian Center at 11:00 am on Saturday, January 14, 2012.

After the workshop Leone will autograph his DVD, Ride the Body: Select Insights of Peter Leone, that he produced along with Jaussi. The informative and practical DVD will be awarded to all the first place winners at the CPI. A drawing will be held during the workshop for additional DVD prizes.

Leone and Jaussi also co-authored the upcoming book, Peter Leone’s Show Jumping Clinic: Success Strategies for Equestrian Athletes (Storey Publishing), which will hit the shelves in spring of 2012.

Peter Leone is an Olympic equestrian, trainer, producer of hunter/jumper instructional DVDs and author. He owns and operates Lionshare Farm in Greenwich, CT. His clients successfully compete in the pony, equitation, hunter and jumper divisions. He is one of three brothers, affectionately named Team Leone for their success in the show ring. Leone was a member of the 1996 Silver Medal United States Olympic Show-Jumping Team and winner of numerous national and international Grand-Prix show jumping competitions.

An award winning teacher and public speaker, Jaussi received her doctorate in Organizational Behavior from the University of Southern California in 2001 and her A.B. in economics from Smith College.  A former Pony Clubber and an IHSA alumna of Smith College Riding Team, Jaussi and her family own and operate Lucky Stone Farm in Owego, NY.  In addition to her projects with Peter Leone and her consulting and leadership development work, Jaussi is a tenured professor at Binghamton University (SUNY) in the School of Management and a fellow of the Center for Leadership Studies.  She teaches courses in Leadership, Innovation, and Organizational Behavior in Binghamton’s undergraduate, MBA, and Ph.D. programs.

For more information about Peter Leone and Lionshare Farm, go to: http://www.lionsharefarm.com/index.html.

To learn more about Jaussi’s workshops go to: www.inspiringimpulsion.com.

To purchase the Ride the Body: Select Insights of Peter Leone DVD, go to: http://www.lionsharefarm.com/store/page2.html.

To be notified when the book Peter Leone’s Show Jumping Clinic: Success Strategies for Equestrian Athletes will be available, contact: cw@phelpsmediagroup.com.

For information about the CPI, go to: http://collegeprepinvitational.com/index.html.

Media Contact: Mason Phelps
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389  fax 561.753.3386
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com

Peter Cashman from West Point, Peter Leone, Naomi Blumenthal, and IHSA Founder and Executive Director, Bob Cacchione

Orlando, Florida – January 5, 2012 – Olympian Peter Leone joined members of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Board of Directors at their annual meeting held in Orlando, FL to celebrate the launch of his new book, Peter Leone’s Show Jumping Clinic: Success Strategies for Equestrian Athletes. Leone’s book, written along with Kimberly S. Jaussi, PhD, herself an avid rider, writer and leadership professor and coach, explores every aspect of riding from the basics of correct use of aids through to the psychology of approaching a World Cup course. The book employs diagrams, exercises and anecdotes, as well as photos featuring riders such as McLain Ward, Richard Spooner and Georgina Bloomberg, as models demonstrating concepts from his text. Coaches, such as Eddie Federwisch from Virginia Intermont College, lauded the publication of the book as a comprehensive modern textbook on riding. Peter Leone’s Show Jumping Clinic: Success Strategies for Equestrian Athletes is slick and easy to read with a fresh format and catchy phrases that stick with you.

Leone’s relationship with the IHSA began in 2011 when he met with coaches at the annual meeting and asked for initial input into the development of his Ride the Body: Select Insights of Peter Leone DVD. This meeting led Leone to invite coaches and riders from the IHSA to Lionshare Farms for a hands-on clinic and brainstorming session. Attendees came from schools including Mt. Holyoke College, Johnson & Wales University, Smith College and St. Lawrence University, and participants included two past Cacchione Cup winners, Lindsay Clark (Centenary College) and Lindsay Sceats (Mt. Holyoke College).

Co-author, Jaussi was an IHSA rider during college (Smith College). Since 2010, Jaussi has been presenting a series of leadership and team building workshops for IHSA teams. The material for those workshops represents a blend of both Jaussi’s expertise as a leadership professor and coach and Leone’s philosophies and approaches as an Olympian and top equestrian coach.

After Leone’s work with collegiate teams at his home base, he was inspired to travel to Centenary College where he participated in an IHSA scrimmage and “competed” as an Open rider. Coached by Michael Dowling from Centenary and Mary Drueding from St. Lawrence, Leone drew his mounts at random, as the IHSA riders are required to do. He learned first-hand what riders in the collegiate arena face with only an opening circle to get to know their mounts.

“Peter is such a humble person and he was game to give the experience a shot. Even though he didn’t ride in college he really believes in the collegiate programs,” said Leone’s co-author Kim Jaussi.

Leone shared, “Now I truly understand the challenge the college competitors face. To succeed in the college equestrian arena you have to have solid fundamentals together with the skills to ride a horse you’ve never ridden. I have to admit, I have been a horse show snob. This is great equestrian competition!”

Leone’s experience captured on video was shown to the IHSA at the annual meeting on Thursday. The video content will be included in a follow-up DVD, which will partially focus on the ins and outs of the IHSA world.

Peter Leone is an Olympic equestrian, trainer, producer of hunter/jumper instructional DVDs and author. He owns and operates Lionshare Farm in Greenwich, Ct. His clients successfully compete in the pony, equitation, hunter and jumper divisions. He is one of three brothers, affectionately named Team Leone, for their success in the show ring. Leone was a member of the 1996 Silver Medal United States Olympic Show-Jumping Team and winner of numerous national and international Grand-Prix show jumping competitions.

For more information about Peter Leone and Lionshare Farm go to: http://www.lionsharefarm.com/index.html.

To purchase Peter Leone’s Ride the Body DVD go to: http://www.lionsharefarm.com/store/page2.html.

To be notified when Peter Leone’s Jumping Clinic book will be available contact: cw@phelpsmediagroup.com.

Media Contact: Mason Phelps
Phelps Media Group, Inc. International
phone 561.753.3389  fax 561.753.3386
pmginfo@phelpsmediagroup.com

For most people, equine therapy is pretty fascinating to watch. However, without a visual account of just what happens between a horse and a human, the general public is at a loss to fully understand just how our beloved equine friends can really help people better understand themselves. Sometimes words just don’t describe the magic between people and horses. Yet clearly, judging by the success of movies such as “Seabiscuit”, people are truly amazed by horses, and all the while, profoundly affected by this admiration. So, in honoring the way in which an observable accounting of equine therapy can reveal more fully what it is, I have compiled a list of great equine-therapy related movies.

1.       “Seabiscuit” Portraying the life of the famous racehorse, Seabiscuit, this movie also demonstrates the way in which the courageous character of a horse can uplift a down and out nation.
http://www.seabiscuitmovie.com/

2.       “Secretariat” Following the Chenery family and Triple Crown winner, Secretariat, this movie depicts a horse’s ability to draw out the best parts of each person he comes in contact with.
http://www.disney.go.com/disneypictures/secretariat/

3.       “Buck” This fascinating documentary illustrates the life of Buck Branaman, one of the forerunners of the natural horsemanship movement. However, much more than a movie about training horses, this is a beautiful description of the metaphor that the horse and human relationship represents for each person’s life.
http://buckthefilm.com/

4.       “The Man from Snowy River” Not so much a movie about equine therapy, as an uplifting story of just how profoundly a horse can impact a person, and just how deep that bond can go.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000062XG0/ref=asc_df_B000062XG01845236?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B000062XG0

5.       “The Horse Whisperer” Rehabilitating a scared horse is the overt premise for this movie. However, the horse whisperer, played by Robert Redford, through his relationship to the horse, really rehabilitates the family that has been tragically broken apart.
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=the+horse+whisperer+movie&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=4643782707&ref=pd_sl_2zq8y6v72u_e

While these movies may each, in their own way, shed a little light on the sometimes elusive bond between a horse and his person, more than likely, they will inspire the horse lover that exists in all of us.

Best,
Claire Dorotik LMFT

We all make resolutions, and sadly, many of us will never realize these often lofty goals. And what do we do then? We wonder why. First, why did we make the resolution in the first place, and if we are the introspective type, what is it about us that prevented us from reaching our target? But to answer these questions, we’d probably have to have a window into our unconscious. And really, we may just not have the time or patience for psychoanalysis. But maybe, just maybe, we can learn something about ourselves through time spent with a horse. So, in honor of resolutions, here are five reasons to try equine assisted therapy.

1.       Horses are novel. For the majority of people, meeting a horse is an entirely new experience. While we may have some idea how self-exploration will go, we really have no idea how we will react, or more importantly, how the horse will react to us. This is the perfect environment then in which to learn about the self.

2.       Horses are physiological. While people often miss nonverbal cues about others, and we even can be unaware of what we are presenting outwardly in a nonverbal way, horses miss nothing that is nonverbal. And without saying a word themselves, horses can us the truth about ourselves.

3.       Horses are powerful. Want to feel more powerful? Well, try directing a 1200 pound animal. And then consider that this animal has a reaction time less than half of ours.

4.       Horses are non-threatening. For all their massive power, horses do not carry the same preconceived ideas about the way people should look, act and feel. Instead, they just accept people as they are, because that is all they know.

5.       You might discover something new. For some people, equine therapy is an introduction into a lifelong love of horses. I fact, some clients go on to purchase their own horses!

The client shifts around nervously in her chair, her darting eyes revealing a weak defense system. As she searches for a disguised response to an honest question, I wonder to myself, ‘Why must this be so difficult?’ The truth is, she is only doing what she knows — hiding. The problem, however, is that she is also uniquely attached to her only familiarity, and it — her unconscious desire to remain a victim, perpetrated upon by a long line of offenders — is killing her. And again, I wonder to myself, ‘I wish there were a way for me to show her this’. It is at this time that I wish for a horse.

Horses, unlike people, don’t disguise much, if anything. So a person’s unconscious wish to remain a victim doesn’t go unnoticed. Neither does the anger behind it. Because at some point in this person’s history, she was truly a victim, and what should have happened simply didn’t. So now she must replay this history with new relationships — and sometimes old ones — hoping to finally be cared for. However, unfortunately, the kindness that is now proffered to her doesn’t make up for what was missed, and naturally, she is angry about this. But this is a hopeless cycle, because her anger now pushes away the kindness that she needs so much.

And instead of a long, drawn out exploration of this with the client, a horse would simply draw out the person’s rage. In a very basic way, he would provoke the person, by invading her space, being pushy and nudging her until she moves. Space, to a horse, means everything, and can be understood to represent power in relationships — both horse and human. A horse that can move another horse around is the one in power, both in times of fear — like when escaping a predator — and in times of need — such as protecting a foal, or feeding. So with a person attached to her anger, and yet disguising it at the same time — as in the case of someone stuck in the victim role — a horse will take the power from this person, until the anger begins to surface. Because the unconscious truth is that the person does feel disempowered, and her anger becomes a substitute for the self confidence that comers from real power.

What of course becomes clear then is the bind the person is in, here, a horse, whom she hopes will love and nurture her, is doing the exact opposite. And why, she asks? Well the want to be nurtured is one thing, but horses don’t respond to wants. Instead, our equine friends respond only to needs. Effectively what the horse is then saying to the client is “More than needing to be nurtured, you need to take back your power”. And, of course, when the person reclaims the space from the horse, he no longer pushes her. It is at this time that he may actually offer some honest love — not the kind that begs, “Take care of me.”

With the holidays progressing rapidly, and the state of the economy on a fast decline, finding ways to improve mood is now more important than ever. However, as with most things, when they are needed most is also when they are hardest to attain – e.g. the ones who are hardest to love need it the most. And while the truth is being around horses will certainly stop the difficult holiday reminders many people suffer, or in any way improve the economy (horse owners would attest to this point), but it just might make a person feel a little better in one of the following ways.

1.         Physiological Calming: Neurochemicals can be cunning little things. They rise often without their host’s awareness, and can wreak havoc on all sorts of health factors. To be sure, stress and the physiological ramifications of it are now considered to be possibly even more predictive of a potential heart attack than levels of cholesterol or blood pressure. However, given the dangers of elevated levels of epinephrine, cortisol, and dampened levels of serotonin, most people struggle when it comes to just how to lower them. Well, being around any animal has been demonstrated to be an effective way of calming the physiological system, and often due to their size and power, horses can have an even more pronounced effect on a person than other types of animals.

2.         Introduction to nature: Horses live outside, in nature, in rhythm with the natural world around them. Humans, on the other hand, effectively insulate themselves from the world around them through a variety of barriers from cell phones to high rises. Yet being connected to the world around them is a very important survival skill — and the statistics on the correlation between “distractions” and accidents is a very telling factor. But perhaps even more importantly, many people feel incredibly disconnected from those around them, while all the while being presumably “connected” via some form of wireless device. Simply spending time outside with another living being, absent the daily distractions, is a very healthy and very rejuvenating experience.

3.         Reduction of isolation: People, unlike horses, isolate when they feel sadness, shame, disappointment, or loneliness. Here again, we can learn a lesson from our equine friends. When feeling any of these emotions, horses immediately are surrounded by the herd (I talk in depth about this in several chapters of my book), even if moments before, a herd member was dominant over the upset horse. Interestingly, horses seem to have adopted the concept that the ones who are hardest to love need it the most.

So, in a time when some mood boosting is needed, and the answers seem to disguise themselves, consider spending some time around a horse, as it just might provide the very experience that’s needed — with a few answers carefully hidden in the herd.