Horses as Agents of Social Change
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A model of peaceful and positive leadership for ALL; personal, professional & social. Horses lead the way.
My theory: If one can elicit positive change in humans then one is an agent of social change. As a result of their interactions with humans, through the modality of Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL), horses are agents of positive and peaceful lasting social change.
That feels like a bold statement but it is one I believe in with all of my heart and soul. It is the reason I publish this magazine and do the work I do. I have been blessed to live and work alongside horses for 30+ years. I have the seen the change they can facilitate in a person, in a family and in a team. But societal change? Can they elicit that? Is their purpose to bring about social change for mankind?
First let’s define social change. Wikipedia defines it as: an alteration in the social order of a society. Social change may include changes in nature, social institutions, social behaviours, or social relations. Marjorie Brans, Executive Director, School for Social Entrepreneurs of Ontario defines it as something that is: “intangible but when enough change has occurred in peoples' behaviours, attitudes, and laws, we can say that social change has happened.”
If we break that down even further we need to define social and change. Of course, I am going to presume what we are all looking for is positive and lasting change. I hope we can all agree on that.
But social, what is that made up of? Merriam Webster defines social as: of or relating to human society, the interaction of the individual and the group, or the welfare of human beings as members of society, forming cooperative and interdependent relationships with others.
What is at the basis of all of those? We are. Humans. Therefore if we want social change we need to start within ourselves. We can make changes in policies, procedures, etc. but first the transformation must come from deep down. Change is what we make in ourselves and the change we assist others in making of themselves. It is an internal thing.
I’m getting to the horses but would like to tie in one more piece of the puzzle. Characteristics needed to make said change. Daniel Goleman, (Emotional Intelligence – EQ http://www.danielgoleman.info/) breaks down EQ into 2 competences. If we are looking at social change then we must look at the ability to enhance or improve these in humans. Personal Competence - self-awareness and self-management / Social Competence - social awareness and relationship management. As I look through a myriad of articles on the characteristics of agents of social change I see a number that keep coming up. Let’s choose the top 4 (I have sited some articles at the end for your reference).
1. Trust (in oneself and others)
2. Seeing a ‘higher self’, ‘connected to something bigger that brings them joy’ (We could call that passion or one’s authentic calling in life.)
3. Mindfulness / Awareness
4. Empathy
Let us take these 4 and see how horses fit into making change. First I feel we must have a bit more clarity so let me re-frame my theory.
My theory – Version 2: As a result of their interactions with humans, through the modality of EFL, horses are becoming agents of social change. Horses can enhance a human’s; trust, mindfulness-awareness, empathy and connection to something bigger. The results of said interactions create positive and peaceful lasting transformation for mankind.
So how do they do it? How do they help us look deep within to create that internal change which leads to societal change?
Horses are at heart wild animals. Yes, we have domesticated most of them but at heart they are still wild animals with the same fright, flight and fight instincts. They are preyed upon. Even horses that are kept on farms can still be hunted and killed by coyotes, etc. It is the natural cycle of things. With those natural instincts comes a long list of traits that they have to keep themselves safe and out of harm’s way. It is those traits that we can learn so much from and therefore make them agents of social change. The following are some of those traits:
There are so many more characteristics horses have that we can learn from but let’s leave it with those ones for now.
So, how do all of these translate to humans and social change? Let’s start with the moment we, as humans, step into the horse’s world, into their environment. Remember their instincts for survival require them to be hyper sensitive to their surroundings. They can read our energy as soon as we come within several hundred yards of them (if not before). Is our heart, breath rate or blood pressure elevated? Yes, they can read that.
So each of these characteristics is integral for a horse’s survival and each of them are enhanced for us when we work with an EFL ‘translator’. We take the lessons that the horses are reflecting and help integrate them into one’s daily life, into that internal change and ultimately into social change.
I did a bit of research a few years back and asked all of the EFL facilitators I know to name the top 3 most important lessons horses can teach us. The list ended up having 41 characteristics on it. The top 6 were: Mindfulness, awareness, boundary setting (saying yes to yourself), non verbal communication, empathy and trust.
Those tie in exactly with the characteristics that I cited earlier which are needed for social change. Therefore I summarize that social change, at its roots, is individually based, one person at a time. One person leads to one community which leads to society at large. Be it a policy, a belief, an attitude. All are changed when we make the transformation in ourselves. Horses have the ability to lead us there when we see them as ‘agents of social change’. When we spend time in their presence, listen to their wisdom and hear what they have to say. I conclude that horses are agents of social change and if you don’t believe me get a hold of one of the folks in this magazine or contact a qualified practitioner close to you and go see them. Book a private session, a workshop and see how the horses can change you. One human being. And that is the beginning of positive and peaceful lasting global change.
Horses make ‘a world of change’ in every life they touch
Horses are at heart wild animals. Yes, we have domesticated most of them but at heart they are still wild animals with the same fright, flight and fight instincts. They are preyed upon. Even horses that are kept on farms can still be hunted and killed by coyotes, etc. It is the natural cycle of things. With those natural instincts comes a long list of traits that they have to keep themselves safe and out of harm’s way. It is those traits that we can learn so much from and therefore make them agents of social change. The following are some of those traits:
- Horses don’t speak (except for the occasional whinny or snicker). They don’t have a verbal language as we do. Therefore they are reliant on specific ways of communicating in the herd. One on one, or as a community. Non-verbal communication might include a flick of the ears, a kick of a leg, or a bearing of teeth. These are all ways that horses set boundaries amongst each other. They also communicate via energy and intuition. Have you even seen a flock of birds fly in ‘formation’? They seem to know exactly what each other is doing. Are they discussing their flight plan beforehand? No, they are flying on energy. If you were to watch a herd of wild horses run, they do the same. If one horse senses danger, do they stop to talk about it, research it, have a herd meeting? No, they run on intuition. They would be giving up at least one of their herd members if they went through a process before fleeing. They trust and they run. Simple as that. That energy is ‘heart-centered’ energy. (www.heartmath.org )
- Horses are present. They have to be for safety. If they are thinking about something that happened in the past or worrying about something that might happen in the future (sound familiar?) then they are not attentive to what is going on in their environment. They risk missing a very large cue that danger is eminent. In each moment they feel emotions just like we do. The difference is they don’t get ‘stuck’ in those emotions. They get the message behind the emotions, react accordingly and move on or ‘go back to grazing’. They stay present and mindful. All aware of themselves, their herd and the surroundings. They are hyper vigilant. They need to be to stay out of harm's way.
- Horses are authentic. They are their authentic selves. They know no other way. And if someone comes into their environment that isn’t they can sense it. They can feel it.
- Horses hold space. They are the masters of holding space. To this day I have never found another sentient being that can hold space like a horse. They don’t shame, blame or hold grudges. For none of those are in the present. They are non-judgmental,
There are so many more characteristics horses have that we can learn from but let’s leave it with those ones for now.
So, how do all of these translate to humans and social change? Let’s start with the moment we, as humans, step into the horse’s world, into their environment. Remember their instincts for survival require them to be hyper sensitive to their surroundings. They can read our energy as soon as we come within several hundred yards of them (if not before). Is our heart, breath rate or blood pressure elevated? Yes, they can read that.
- Do horses trust each other? Do they trust themselves? Without a shadow of a doubt. If a horse senses danger and starts to move away from it the herd will follow. The horse doesn’t first ask itself. Am I making the right decision, will everyone or anyone agree with me, or even follow me? No, it moves to safety. All of those things take way too long and could put them in severe peril. Horses teach us to trust ourselves and if we are working with a team to trust each other. Often to get to this point we need to get to a place of ‘heart connection’. Anyone ever told you to get out of your head? Well, it was good advice. As humans we spend time in our head, lots of it. A horse spends all of its time in its body. Trusting its instincts and intuition. To truly connect with a horse you must come from a place of heart. And that profound connection takes courage and trust on a human’s part as that takes us deep within ourselves. Are we prepared for what we will see and learn?
- Are we being authentic? Did you know that when we are inauthentic it raises our blood pressure? The horses sense all of this and react to it to bring themselves to a place of safety. In our work with EFL we have a myriad of experiential activities that assist the human/team/community in assessing their own characteristics by translating what the horse is doing in reaction to them entering that environment. If said human is not being authentic (i.e. “I’m not afraid” when their heart rate and blood pressure are saying the opposite) then the horse will react in a number of ways. And each reaction says that the horse is not comfortable in that space. If however, the human admits the fear, is honest with it, and is authentic then the horse senses that authenticity and will reflect that to the human. I have seen horses, immediately upon the human becoming authentic, walk over to them and lay their head right on that person’s heart. It is a beautiful confirmation for the human that authenticity works every time. If one can start there to live their own life with authenticity and follow their own soul path then they are connected to that ‘something bigger than themselves’.
- How about mindfulness and awareness? Horses only live in the present. When we enter their environment and are stuck in the past or the future then they will definitely have something to say (non-verbally). When we sit in space with horses and drift out of the present then the horses will reflect that. If we are not present then in their view we are not safe to be with. In that moment we are a member of the herd and they need their whole herd to be mindful and aware. They will tell us when we drift off by drifting off themselves and moving away from us, perhaps not collaborating with us, or completely disassociating with us. Either way, when we do as a horse does and feel our emotions in that moment, get the message from and adjust accordingly then we will find the horse connect with us again. As soon as we become mindful and present once more. It might seem that simple and it is but it is also that profound.
- Empathy and holding space. I won’t delve too deeply into this one as there is a superb article in this publication about horses holding space and I can’t say it any better than that. Check out Victoria Sambleson’s article: Being Heard – The Art of Holding Space. Spending time in connection with a horse teaches us to hold space like never before.
So each of these characteristics is integral for a horse’s survival and each of them are enhanced for us when we work with an EFL ‘translator’. We take the lessons that the horses are reflecting and help integrate them into one’s daily life, into that internal change and ultimately into social change.
I did a bit of research a few years back and asked all of the EFL facilitators I know to name the top 3 most important lessons horses can teach us. The list ended up having 41 characteristics on it. The top 6 were: Mindfulness, awareness, boundary setting (saying yes to yourself), non verbal communication, empathy and trust.
Those tie in exactly with the characteristics that I cited earlier which are needed for social change. Therefore I summarize that social change, at its roots, is individually based, one person at a time. One person leads to one community which leads to society at large. Be it a policy, a belief, an attitude. All are changed when we make the transformation in ourselves. Horses have the ability to lead us there when we see them as ‘agents of social change’. When we spend time in their presence, listen to their wisdom and hear what they have to say. I conclude that horses are agents of social change and if you don’t believe me get a hold of one of the folks in this magazine or contact a qualified practitioner close to you and go see them. Book a private session, a workshop and see how the horses can change you. One human being. And that is the beginning of positive and peaceful lasting global change.
Horses make ‘a world of change’ in every life they touch
It's a philosophy of life. A practice. If you do this, something will change, what will change is that you will change, your life will change, and if you can change you, you can perhaps change the world.”
Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood
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