Outliers are People and Animals that are interdisciplinary, meaning relating to more than one branch of knowledge. Because Humans use words to communicate their thoughts they are not as feared as a Horse that is an Outlier. A Horse that is an Outlier may seem rebellious, detached, spoiled, unruly or stubborn, perhaps they have reason to be that way from Human treatment, or perhaps they have knowledge that is always just outside of the expected, they never quite fit in to traditional methods that have worked before.
These Horses are often outcast, punished or destroyed because of what should be a gift is perceived as damage. As Humans it is our duty and our privilege to discern and acknowledge these traits and not fear or condemn them.
I often perceive Enchantress as an Outlier. She is determined to have an opinion, and she is determined to co-create with me. Prior teaching tells me to ‘control’ her, to ‘train’ her to do what I want/need her to do, but is this truth? I think not. Not if we wish to evolve as Horse and Human in Partnership.
When I look at pictures of her eye when I first got her and look at her eye now, they are very different. The first photos showed wildness and questions in her eye even though she was extremely friendly and approached Humans willingly, now I see more observation and concern in her eye. The concern in her eye used to bother me, I want her to be peaceful and enjoy stability, but now I believe her concern is about her own purpose as an Outlier, she feels pressure to help me evolve as much as possible in our time together, like me, she is obsessed with purpose. The wildness and questions in her early photos were reflective of not having a consort; someone to carry out her purpose with. Of not belonging in a Human Partnership that she needed in order to fulfill her purpose.
I wish I could say that I hear everything she says to me in our daily interactions, but I cannot. I’m better, but it is not yet instinctual. As Human so many years of traditional study is constantly coming to the forefront in my mind and listening with my senses comes second. However, the more frequently I remember to engage my senses and intuition with her, the quicker I return to the reason we came together. For me to evolve in my perspective on the ways that Horses and Humans can Partner.
I am aware that some people think I spoil Chant, but I view it as I listen respectfully to her. I believe she has choice and consent in our relationship, I want her to be herself and feel like she can always speak to me of her opinion and her desires. This is more important to me than having a ‘trained’ Horse. She does not take advantage of this, she simply questions things that she is unsure of and she asks’ me to answer with presence and honesty and not traditional thinking. She reminds me to consider, is there a better way?
I feel remiss in my teaching with her, she is a fabulous trail Horse, but I am neglectful of things like building better self-carriage and isolated movements. But I know within my Soul that our main work together is for me to trust her when she asks me to join with her in alternative forms of understanding and Partnership. This is our priority.
When I first got Chant, I felt her obsession over feeling that life was passing her by, she was 9 and completely uneducated, a Horse in a pasture and sometimes neglected. And for a couple of years, I was stressing over not furthering her in a career, she is well bred, beautiful and athletic, but once I came to understand her purpose with me as an Outlier, I no longer feel the pressure to evolve her teaching as a riding Horse. This endorses to me that this is her reason for being with me. She still loves to do things, to go ride anywhere, but sometimes I wonder is she is just looking for situations to ‘help me evolve’. 😊
Very interesting point of view, from one outlier to another.
I am starting to understand more about this, I used to think they were visionaries, but they are a bit more defiant and confident in their approach to bringing change.
I think the outliers are the ones that have the most to give, have the most talent, and are the most difficult in parts of their behavior. As a child, being surrounded by exceptional horsemen and horsewomen, I was always told, “Any horse worth their salt will do something to make you crazy outside of their purpose and talent.” As a horse woman, trainer, instructor and competitor with more than 40 years with horses, I have found this to be exactly true. The best ones (which are not defined by ribbons or trophies) will be maddening in some way… they paw the fence only when I’m there, they pick locks and get their ropes untied, they flip buckets or pin their ears over minor things, they fly on the end of a lunge line like a goat in a hurricane… but when I need them to be at their best… on a dangerous, technical single track trail, or perfectly balanced in a dressage movement… free and like butter in my fingertips… they are spectacular, and the joy, confidence and partnership is unparalleled. Those moments I remind myself that “they are worth their salt” well beyond the frustrating moments they add on in our daily partnership. As I say to them and myself, “You will be really good, because this part of our partnership is really testing my good graces!”
Yes, and most likely this is because we have not been conditioned to listen to ‘errant’ behavior, but rather address it. Chant has tremendously changed how I relate to Horses, its definitely a learning curve, but I like that I am starting to see things differently.