The fundamental distortion

The fundamental distortion

by OurHorses

It seems that the deeper we go into the exploration of any relationship the more questions arise.  The more questions, the more ways people create to answer the questions,  and the more effort we make to gather together friends who believe in the same answers.

A fundamental concept that many animal lovers believe is that we think we can save animals and make their lives better by saving animals and making their lives better.  

The reality is that an animal will be cared for only when a human is cared for.  A hurting, scarred, beaten human will likely mimic the behavior that made her that way.  That is what she knows.  It is only by saving humans that we can ensure that all animals will be cared for, and all humans as well.  This is why we will strive to find balance in our own lives between spending enough time with horses, or other pursuits we love and helping the larger family of humans that we belong to so that together we can live in peace.

Here are more questions that we will be exploring in the coming months:

Who are we caring for?

How big is our family?

How are we spending our time?

How do we know what is a good cause?

How do we know what is a good use of our time?

We horse lovers are re-examining our place in helping this world.  We hope you join us.

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The Path in Poland

The Path in Poland 

by Berenika Bratny

It is a great idea, this OurHorses kind of approach to the problems that you are addressing.  This is exactly what we have been thinking and discussing recently in our Okiem Konia association.

We just had an experience that made us rethink our strategies again. As you know we were engaged in the fight for taking the horse off the list of animals who can be slaughtered and promoting the horse legally as a companion animal. This idea was close to the hearts of some horse welfare organizations and together we went to a horse fair to make a demonstration and protest. This action was prepared quite carefully over the year.  Many, many people volunteered to take part. Also participating were many horse shelters and animal welfare organizations. When we arrived at the place on the day of the demonstration we realized that there were only 80 people there and … no riders in general (some horse welfare organizations decided not to join being afraid of losing "sponsors" – that is equestrian organizations).  Equestrians decided it was too “dangerous” even to demonstrate for the lives of horses. What’s more - on one of the natural horsemanship (NH) forums in Poland where one journalist tried to promote the action and ask horsemen to join the cause many people replied that there is nothing wrong with breeding horses for meat!

This experience was very painful for many people there, as they felt betrayed – all of those who were seen in the parking lot with nice trailers wearing riding pants came to the fair to buy whips or bits or spurs and they did not even bother to look at what the demonstration was about.  One of the horse traders, who threw stones at us, shouted: "You don’t even know horses, you don’t even know what to do with them or how to ride them!”.  And I realized he was right – those brave, incredible people who were there were not riders, none were “horsey” people – they were people who were devoted to animals in general. Many of them came in the middle of the night to photograph horse abuse and then to make it public. They risked their own welfare, it was dangerous to go there, but they did it in the name of love for animals.

After this experience I realized that we might be talking into the void, looking for understanding among equestrians. I decided to look for animal rights people, vegans and those who think that using animals for our pleasure is wrong, that animals are sentient beings who have the same right we do to live on this planet, breathe the fresh air, enjoy the company of other animals the same species and have families and friends.

I started to look at the animal rights websites and you know what? They fight for the freedom of all kinds of animals but rarely mention horses in sport (if so, they talk about racing) and never write about the harms of  riding.  But I am sure those are the people who would understand our cause, who would support us and spread the truth about the horse’s fate. If only they knew. This is my hope and my plan for the future. Finding those who are already evolved in thinking about the animal kingdom in general and adding horses to the list of those who need our help the most.

I want also to ask if you would agree that we could translate part of the OurHorses blog into Polish – I mean the posts about the training techniques.  I think it is very very important for Polish people to read them, and many of them simply do not know English. Such things are so important as they show what is hidden behind those nice white gloves and all those ribbons. This is especially important for those who have never ridden horses and they do not see anything wrong in such. These people send their children to riding schools and I am sure many of them would not do it if only they knew the truth.

Berenika with an old friend

I am very happy that so many wise people are joining together to think about those difficult subjects and that we can share our ideas and this way spread the truth. Thank you for that.

Thank you Berenika for your report from Poland.  Everyone may translate and use freely any information from OurHorses and this blog.  Send us links of where you use the translations so we can direct people there.

Tomorrow is the last day of March and the last day of our daily blog.  In the month since we began, we have gathered many new friends and brought our old friends closer together through the power of the Internet and social networking.  We will continue to pass along important information through this blog as it comes to us and also continue to ask for your help in creating this new world.  


Please contribute your own stories of amazing people you meet, ideas you have for this world, and other resources that will help us all along this journey towards peace on earth.  We welcome you to use this forum to reach many people.  If you aren't sure if your story will fit, go ahead and send it and we will be in contact about editing and how we might best use it.


Email your stories to: michael@ourhorses.org

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How do we see horses?

Today was the first OurHorses community call.  We were able to bring together quite a few of the people leading the way to changing humanity's view of horses and their place in our lives.  One of the topics brought up was how to deal with people who see horses as livestock, commodities that exist for our own purposes and nothing beyond that.

We would love to open up a discussion here in the comments section for anyone who has ideas of how to get across the feeling that horses are their own autonomous beings.  It seems that if a person is not starting from that feeling, there would be no understanding of needing to change our current practices with horses.

Any ideas?

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An update from the Nevzorov's

An update from the Nevzorov's

by Stormy May

photo by Lydia Nevzorova

Yesterday I heard from Lydia Nevzorova that Alexander Nevzorov is no longer training horses in Haute Ecole and no longer fighting equine sport.  She wrote that he has already said everything there is to say about the equine world.  He considers that he has already done all he can for the horse.  What else is there to do after reading, writing and speaking with them?  Now it is time for his followers to spread his humane message and perhaps to go even further than he.  Horses, he concludes, should be returned to the wild to live free as zebras.  Now he deals with absolutely different things.

He is finishing his new book, Origin of Intellect.  A very scientific work written in Russian, Origin of Intellect was spawned as the result of studying Latin with his black stallion Kaogi.  Due to this study, Alexander understood so much and liked to study so much that now he only deals with human brains.  Lydia reports that what he has discovered will bring as much controversy to the scientific world as he has brought to the equine world.  In addition, he has taken on a fight against the Russian Orthodox Church.  He remains a popular public figure for many Russians as well as gaining popularity with a new group, atheists.

Nevzorov Haute Ecole (NHE), Alexander’s school of higher education for humans has taken a new turn as well.  With the founder no longer training horses, instead living with them as friends, sometimes playing, studying with them, dealing without any training, he has now turned the school in the direction of advocating for horses to return to their place in the wild.  Since 2004 he has been against breeding horses in captivity.  He sees our place as allowing this generation of horses to live out quiet, protected lives and the next generations of wild born horses to continue to live as nature intended.  Despite this turn, the school will remain as it has been, teaching subjects such as anatomy, physiology, horse care and welfare.  Lydia sees the need to continue to receive new students and to support everybody on their own journeys from typical horsemanship towards humane treatment of horses until the last horse is free.

Lydia is especially passionate about the danger of the current trend of people promoting horses and children playing together, barefoot and natural as well as the use of horses for therapy.  She well knows the injuries that horses can cause.  Horses are not less dangerous with their hooves and teeth and bodies than lions or tigers.  She worries that people glorifying this “natural” way will lead to injured children just as adults emulating Alexander’s work with free horses has led to serious traumas and injuries for many people.  She is adamant that only highly professional people should deal with horses, not amateurs.  Even professionals are at constant risk, and when lay people believe they are qualified to work with horses, there is a great risk of injury to both horse and human.

I feel Lydia’s concern and also hold it as my own.  As the result of over 30 years studying horse behavior and living in close proximity with many captive-born and a few wild-born horses, I have developed the capacity to foresee and redirect potential disasters.  When I invite others to interact with horses I need to constantly monitor the exchanges to ensure a positive experience for both horse and human.  Without the care of someone who is a true professional, well versed in horse human communication, the likelihood is that somebody is going to end up hurt.  And honestly, even with the best precautions and direction from a professional, injury is a constant threat.  As far as Alexander’s conclusions about the proper place of horses in our future, I suspect this will be something many will need to consider for some time.  Personally, I feel the value in working towards greater freedom for all horses and no longer bringing into this world horses that don’t have the guarantee of being cared for their entire natural lives.

This time, 2012 is certainly proving to be pivotal in deciding the direction we are traveling not only with horses but also in all areas of our lives.  Is it time for us to be free of our past concepts of how we related to horses, intelligence, religion and each other?  Alexander and Lydia are answering these questions and creating a new life for their horses and human family.  They invite all who are interested to see what they have discovered.

 

Here are some links to find out more.  
 

NHE School website (English)   
 

Alexander Nevzorov in the news (Russian)

 The Horse Crucified and Risen book (English) 

This book is the most comprehensive work available in English detailing many of Alexander's discoveries about the nature of horse human relations both past and present. It is available in print and kindle editions on Amazon.com.  





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