Working from afar
Most of my animal clients are receptive to touch. Those who have been abused, neglected or traumatized are sometimes not. I always pay close attention to an animal’s body language before I ever begin a session and discuss the animal’s history and needs with the owner or rescue center first.
With a feral horse I definitely have to start by keeping my distance. I’ve experienced this at an equine adoption center where there are a number of horses that have come Kentucky’s Appalachian region. In the past, it wasn’t unusual for horses to be allowed to run free to graze on reclaimed surface mines. Over time horses have been left on their own for generations. The free-roaming populations of owned, abandoned and wild-born horses often face malnutrition and illness. It’s not a great way for a horse to live. Rescue groups attempt to round these horses up and bring them in to be cared for, trained, and rehomed.
Many of these horses are fearful of humans because of a lack of contact. I start by working outside the paddock. I center myself first by holding my fingers and breathing, sending them a message that I’m here for them in their own timing. It’s always fun to see one of the horses lift their head and make a move my way. I had a very positive Jin Shin Jyutsu experience with a pair of feral Morgan horses this way.
When I had my volunteer training, I was told these two were so adverse to people that no one had been able to catch them since they’d arrived months before. That was the challenge I needed. It took 4 weekly visits before they were willing to come within 10 feet of the fence I stood behind. Each week, I’d greet them in my mind, hold my fingers and breathe, then place my hands in the air so that they appeared to be on the animal. I’d picture that I was right there with them and they were safe. I could see signs of relaxation from across the field as they stretched their necks and gazed back at me, each week moving just a little closer my way.
They were finally able to be brought up to be checked by the veterinarian. I can’t give myself all the credit for their change, as the adoption center works very hard to offer the best care for all their horses. I was interesting to note that the change came shortly after my fourth visit.
We must be patient with the animals we serve. We don’t know what they’ve experienced in their life, whether they’re a rescue from the coal mines of Kentucky or from a “good” home in town. Life is experienced in different ways by each animal. In Jin Shin Jyutsu we meet them where they are.