This study is evidence that subtle gestures we may or may not be aware of can influence our horse.  Heart rate is one of them to consider.  If we are leading or riding a horse who is fearful, we must always remember to be calm, no matter what the situation may be.  Calmness can prevent situations from arising, and if they do arise, it can prevent them from escalating.  We also have to remember that if we are fearful when riding or when leading a horse, the horse will pick up on that.  The most helpful thing we can do is learn how to center when being around horses.  Horses are herd animals, and it’s only natural for them to pick up on our nervousness and wonder if there is a reason to be nervous.

The next time you’re with a horse, consciously think of being centered and calm.  Take deep breaths from your diaphragm.  Let all of the stress that you may be experiencing, all of the thoughts of things you “have to do” leave your mind.  When you’re with your horse, your focus should be on the relationship the two of you have.  Being with horses is a wonderful way for us to be more balanced, centered, and connected.  The natural world does not multitask; it is centered and focused.  We can learn a lot from that way of being.

Another thing to keep in mind is that there are many other factors that influence our relationship with horses that we may not consciously think about.  While this study focused on the factor of heart rate, think about others that might be creating communication between you and your horse without you even thinking about it.  When you lead a horse near a potential scary situation, do you breathe faster, perhaps grip the leadline tighter?  When you’re riding, and you are worried something might spook your horse, do you hold your breath or breath very shallowly, sit up straighter and become more tense, close your fingers around the reins so that you’re putting pressure on the reins without realizing it?

What this study shows us and what it allows us to begin to consider are all of the tiny ways in which we influence and communicate with our horses all of the time.  It also allows us to realize that we can have a much more subtle and sensitive relationship with our horses.  And if that is true, if we have been relying too much on heavy handiness with our horses, what else have we been missing with our horses that may lead to a better relationship?

What might our horses be communicating to us in a subtle manner that we are missing?

Let’s say that you learned how to jump when you were younger, and you focused on that.  You would have been trained to keep your heels way down, your toes turned out, and you would be used to leaning forward, especially in a 2-point seat.  Now, you decide to switch to riding dressage.  Suddenly, you are told to keep your toes straight, to let your heels rest naturally, to sit tall and relaxed and straight.  Your body is so conditioned to the “comfort zone” of the hunter position, that you must constantly readjust it.  When you are tired or are not paying attention or get frustrated, your body will revert to the comfort zone it knows of the jumper position.  Eventually, with enough time and training and patience, your body will find a comfort zone in your dressage seat.  With even more training, you will be able to have different comfort zones for jumping and dressage.

The key to comfort zones is to recognize them and to be able to realize when we resorting to them, even if they are not helpful to us.  We return to comfort zones because they are familiar to us, even if they are not healthy.  They are “the known,” and no matter how painful they may be, the pain is preferable to the fear that lies outside the comfort zone.  This is one reason many abuse victims have difficulty leaving abusers and/or continue to find themselves in abusive relationships.  While the abuse is painful and horrendous, the victim knows subconsciously what to expect.  To leave the abusive situation is terrifying and that fear may be greater than the comfort zone of the abuse.

So, when we use the term “comfort,” in comfort zone, we’re not necessarily talking about feeling good.  A more descriptive term would be the “known zone.”  We search for the known, even if it’s painful and continues to create unhealthy situations, because it is better than the feared unknown.  Mind you, that fear is generally subconscious and unrealized, which makes it all the harder to get out of.

But getting out of a comfort zone, seeing what is out there that may be helpful and healthy in our lives is very important.  Comfort zones, as I mentioned above, exist in the horseworld in the form of riding disciplines.  They also exist in many other areas, and I’ll be exploring those areas over time.  For now, think about what comfort zones you have in connection with horses.  Think of ways you interact with horses that might be a comfort zone for you but that might not be the healthiest or best behavior for you and your horse.  Think of comfort zones when you ride.  Do you, for example, constantly ride a certain way that you know isn’t the best way you can ride, for you or your horse, but you just can’t seem to correct it?  Why do you think you can’t correct it?  What do you think you need to do to correct it?  Keep all of these questions and answers in mind as we explore comfort zones and the horse-human relationship in future entries.