What if, every presidential hopeful had to go into the corral with a few horses? America could stand outside the corral and tally up the results. Which types of horses would gravitate to what people? Would some candidates be left off to the side?

What could we determine by this exercise? Does anyone have the answer?

The recent debates have made me realize, without naming any names, how horses vet people. Horses are especially astute at recognizing threats in their environment. They may know who has power and to whom they’d better be subservient, and others may roll their eyes and feel they need to fight back when they experience great power, and not necessarily of the good kind, in a person. What we know of horses tells us that horses gravitate toward people who are centered, without ego, who are as honest as they can be.

What we call the kind of disruptive energy that some people – and animals – possess is incongruency. Incongruency is exhibited by the person who continually changes his or her mind, has no real moral vision or center. This can be the result of an injury, or conditioning, and perhaps other unknown factors.

Another type of incongruency that horses respond to is found in people who may be highly successful in their lives, but they talk out of both sides of their mouth. They are of two minds, and the horse can’t stand that. Some horses are mild mannered and will simply cave into it or ignore it, while others will want to put as much distance between themselves and the person as possible and may act out.

Another type of person, who may not be incongruent at all, but who may have certain powers, can attract horses. I’m sure horses felt the energy of great rulers, whether they were kind or despotic.

I have one mare who recognizes power in others. At first I thought it meant she thought we should surround ourselves with them. Then upon further investigation, I am learning that she just wanted to point that out to me. Notice their power. Notice their importance and gifts in the world, what they can do, their presence. She casts no judgment, only wants me to observe and listen. She also expects this of students who come to work with her.

My two geldings were drawn toward men, perhaps because they were owned by a woman, and lived with two mares. One man in particular was interesting: my geldings really liked him, but the two mares ignored him.

By being around horses, being part of their culture, we can get an idea of who they feel safe around and who they don’t, who they feel they need to banish from the herd (if it comes to that). Listening to this example, watching their interactions, can teach us a lot about how we too, can navigate the world of people.

Horses don’t lie, and they recognize dishonesty a mile away. People are not as good at doing that. People do lie and they are easily duped by dishonest people. There have been times when I really didn’t want to know what my horse wanted to tell me, but I had to learn it anyway.  And some people have taught me things I didn’t want to hear also. Hard lessons in life, but ultimately, they may have been lifesaving.

It isn’t enough to see a potential candidate astride a horse. Just about anyone can be photographed on a horse or next to a horse and look good, and the horse can put on a face for that experience: ears forward, eyes alert. But when people see a presidential candidate or a past president on a horse, their hearts soften. Aw. He loves horses. We think he must be a good person (if we are horse people!) Yet who does the horse find worth her while?

The horse does not choose on the basis of how much money a person has, or how convincing they are, or what their “track record” is, or rhetoric. None of it matters. Horses can be lured by treats or what the person can do for them, just as we can, but they then go back to their lives. They hold no grudges, yet will remember cruelty. They do remember kindnesses. But mostly live in the present.  They may sense things we can never pick up, energy on the wind, a message in the running stream. The rhythmic movement of the herd, munching of grass, swishing of tails, sustains them and sets them straight where we so easily stray from that quietude.

Anyone who exudes the energy I want your vote, will be like the horse owner who is needy and wants to be loved, but with a bigger agenda. Anyone who comes forward with I will greet you, but I really just want your vote may cause the horse to recoil. He doesn’t know what that person will demand of him. Most horses know those types of people in life.

A child with the pure intention of walking beside a horse in connection can learn great leadership skills with the horse Heartfelt leadership beginning in youth like this may far surpass countless hours of traditional leadership/management training.

These simple exercises are dependent upon a relationship formed, with honesty and clarity, not a muddling of the issues. The relationship can be formed with one person, or many, and the horse will learn to adapt her energy to work with many people who know how to ask in the way she understands.

We can work with our own energy to become as clear and honest as we can be. Our unveiled selves are the best thing we can offer the horse, examined to know we are clear in our intentions and boundaries.

Follow the vote of the horse. The horse will vote for honesty and clarity in relationship, every time.

(c) Susan Smith, Horses at Liberty Foundation Training, Equine Body Balance (TM)

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