The Horse Hypnotist (Universal Principles)

Recently I was listening to a horse trainer tell how he helped a horse overcome a certain fear. There was a stump of a tree that the horse would become spoked by when rode close to. The horse had an irrational fear of the stump. Sort of a stump phobia.

The objective said the trainer was to neutralize the negative energy the horse perceived emitting from the stump. The trainer set out riding the horse in a large clockwise circle around the stump gradually winding closer and closer. Eventually the horse would realize he was getting uncomfortably close to the stump and abruptly turn away. The trainer would go with the initial turn, then turn back towards the stump, circling counterclockwise. This technique was repeated until the horse was within touching distance of the stump with no fear at all.

The trainer explained that the horse can only think of one thing at a time. By turning the horse back it was forced to stop thinking about the stump and think about the rider. The trainer laughed and said "heaven help me when horses start thinking about more than one thing at a time".

I see in this some universal principles. To name a few: 1. The conscious mind only being able to think of one thing at a time 2. Critical factor bypass using confusion 3. Perception 4. Desensitization

This also illustrates the importance of staying focused and in charge of the session.

Does anyone else have a similar observation to share?

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Permalink Reply by Joe K Fobes on March 23, 2010 at 12:33pm

You need a critical factor to develop fear?

And why wouldn't simple conditioning work?

I actually would like to hear how the critical factor would develop a fear ( I can understand that it would perpetuate one when it rejects the idea that the cause for the fear is gone, but how would it create one?).

Joe

David Lott said:

Does it not make sense that all creatures with an instinct towards self preservation possess critical factoring? If the horse has no critical factor how was it able to develop fear?

JoeK said:
A horse does not have a critical factor. Hence it is rather impossible to bypass it.
Joe

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Permalink Reply by Hypnosis Dave on March 23, 2010 at 4:06pm

Thanks, Don. It poses fascinating question. If I am a non human critter in my next life I will get back to you with an answer. : )

Don Gibbons, Ph.D. said:

David Lott said:
Does it not make sense that all creatures with an instinct towards self preservation possess critical factoring? If the horse has no critical factor how was it able to develop fear?

Hi David,

It is possible to condition avoidance responses and to de-sensitize previously learned responses in organisms much simpler than a horse (ants, worms, and jellyfish, for example). Does this prove that a horse does not have a critical factor, or an instinct for self-presevation? Neigh, but we cannot prove that it has one, either.

Don

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Permalink Reply by Karen Szczotka on March 23, 2010 at 4:25pm

Hi David,
Being a horse professional for over 25 yrs now...very good post. I've used very similar techniques with some horses (riders too). Sometimes you do get those that are a little smarter, and sometimes they are smart against you and not for you, if you know what I mean.
I'm also a Reiki practitioner, do a lot of work with horses and riders/owners to establish a more harmonious relationship by doing "in hand" exercises, incorporating the same model but using breathing techniques and energy, positive visualization. I could go on for hours, I have such a passion for it! lol!

Thanks for sharing great post!

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Permalink Reply by Hypnosis Dave on March 23, 2010 at 4:25pm

I would like to hear more on it as well. I don't think it has been proven one way or the other. I do know science is constantly discovering more about the intelligence capabilities of non human species.

My general point in relating the story is to illustrate the importance of knowing your subjects mind in order to get results. Other than that there are a number of parallels.

I ended the original post asking others to share similar observations. It has been my experience that much is learned by observing nature and seeing certain universal laws. Maybe it is the Taoist in me. The Tao (way) creates change. We do not change the Tao. Knowledge is gained through sensitivity.

JoeK said:

You need a critical factor to develop fear?

And why wouldn't simple conditioning work?

I actually would like to hear how the critical factor would develop a fear ( I can understand that it would perpetuate one when it rejects the idea that the cause for the fear is gone, but how would it create one?).

Joe

David Lott said:
Does it not make sense that all creatures with an instinct towards self preservation possess critical factoring? If the horse has no critical factor how was it able to develop fear?

JoeK said:
A horse does not have a critical factor. Hence it is rather impossible to bypass it.
Joe

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Permalink Reply by Hypnosis Dave on March 23, 2010 at 4:32pm

Karen, That's fantastic! I am sure the overall energy harmonizing is very important.

-Dave

Karen Szczotka said:

Hi David,
Being a horse professional for over 25 yrs now...very good post. I've used very similar techniques with some horses (riders too). Sometimes you do get those that are a little smarter, and sometimes they are smart against you and not for you, if you know what I mean.
I'm also a Reiki practitioner, do a lot of work with horses and riders/owners to establish a more harmonious relationship by doing "in hand" exercises, incorporating the same model but using breathing techniques and energy, positive visualization. I could go on for hours, I have such a passion for it! lol!

Thanks for sharing great post!

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Permalink Reply by Karen Szczotka on March 23, 2010 at 4:37pm

I'm confused and curious as to why you would think that a horse or dog or any other animal wouldn't have a critical factor? I've worked with so many animals that have had negative experiences creating fears and having to reprogram that "known" factor into a positive "known" factor through reconditioning. Also how many animals also particularly "rescued" animals that experience "body syndromes" just as humans do, granted their brains are wired differently than humans, but on a larger level it can go much deeper than this, I'd be happy to elaborate in a different post...Granted they live by their primitive area of the brain of flight or fight for survival and reconditioning their behaviors to productive ones. I've also notice that you can also notice the horse 's(or any animal's) suggestibility in just they way that you train them, different approaches with different animals so that you can get the desired results.

David Lott said:

I would like to hear more on it as well. I don't think it has been proven one way or the other. I do know science is constantly discovering more about the intelligence capabilities of non human species.

My general point in relating the story is to illustrate the importance of knowing your subjects mind in order to get results. Other than that there are a number of parallels.

I ended the original post asking others to share similar observations. It has been my experience that much is learned by observing nature and seeing certain universal laws. Maybe it is the Taoist in me. The Tao (way) creates change. We do not change the Tao. Knowledge is gained through sensitivity.

JoeK said:
You need a critical factor to develop fear?

And why wouldn't simple conditioning work?

I actually would like to hear how the critical factor would develop a fear ( I can understand that it would perpetuate one when it rejects the idea that the cause for the fear is gone, but how would it create one?).

Joe

David Lott said:
Does it not make sense that all creatures with an instinct towards self preservation possess critical factoring? If the horse has no critical factor how was it able to develop fear?

JoeK said:
A horse does not have a critical factor. Hence it is rather impossible to bypass it.
Joe

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Karen Szczotka on March 23, 2010 at 5:09pm

When working with students and their horses, I've have found through experience that it's the utmost importance to interview to see what is going on in the client's life...as I hear and assess the issues that are going on with their horse, I can intuitively read and know what is going on outside of the horse arena before I even hear what is going on. When doing "in hand" work, also known as groundwork, I teach the student to gain control by their behaviors, breathing, constantly assesses their energy, the horse is a herd animal. Therefore I teach the student how to think like a horse and to be the "alpha" in the herd by their body language, their attitudes and actions. The horses, even dogs, cats, become the "IP" if you will or the symptom of what is going on. Once the client become more cognitive of the issue at hand, and work on changing that life script, belief, fear or anxiety, the relationship changes. They take charge passively of course and change their "pecking order" with their horse through body language, compassion and acceptance and reward, they then become the alpha of the herd, so to speak. With that being said, it takes focused concentration, discipline just like meditation, tai chi or any other sport, or life work for that matter. Taking charge and instilling hope, raising self esteem and confidence makes the whole picture become more harmonious and healing not only for the person but for the horse as well.

I've tremendous amount of Reiki work with horses and other animals, and they were actually were taking on their owner's or persons symptoms and then becoming the one in charge. If you can follow this. Leading the owner/horse in a downward spiral, feeling lower self esteem, having more fears, etc. I worked with a horse that was literally having an unexplained neurological issues and major behavioral changes of being aggressive, this horse even lost his ability to back up or even be ridden. I asked myself what could be paralyzing this horse and making him so angry? I interviewed the owner and asked several questions, and then it came out, he was going through a terrible divorce and feeling very angry and paralyzed in his life. Hence the horse took on what he couldn't even express. Through changing his thinking, life script and thoughts and taking control of his life......his horse then progressively got better over the course of a year and then was able to be ridden again and move on with his life. It's just amazing! That is just one story of many that I've experienced.

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Permalink Reply by Donna Carter on March 23, 2010 at 8:15pm

I have studied operant conditioning for a long time now and...
I have worked with horses,dogs, cats, squirrels, a badger, and any other animal I can find with a fun/annoying/bad/etc. behavior.(clicker training)
It works well with people as well (it is called tag teaching for humans!)
I one time worked with a horse to get him loaded into a trailer. A trailer...that he would rather die than cross the entry point, so it seemed.
I worked with him for about an hour (on and off)...training him to touch a target. He touched, I clicked and treated. I moved the target around.... he would follow, touch, click, treat.
After a short break, I came back..placed the target at the inside, back...of the trailer...the horse loaded, touched...I clicked, treated.. and the door was shut. As if....he never had a fear at all.
It is facinating and things like this...further fuel my interest in the world of behavior.
~D