From Dead-Beat Dangerous Jumper to Favorite Ride and “Therapy Horse”
Description: 13 yo Mahogany Bay thoroughbred mare grand prix jumper “Categorica”
Presenting Issues: Stopping at jumps; shying at everything; unpredictable; aggressive to humans and horses. Owner gave her away for free and she was returned as unworkable.
History: Trainer came to me at Expo lecture as last resort to save this mare. Owner had given up and wanted to sell her, but couldn’t even give her away. Trainer had seen her in Argentina, saying she had the most jumping talent of any horse he had ever worked with, effortlessly jumping over 5 ft fences. However, as soon as she arrived in the US, she was a completely changed horse. She stopped at fences, shied at everything including shadows, was unhappy and aggressive to humans and horses. In short, dangerous to a point the owner would not ride her and wanted to get rid of her. Categorica (“C”) was given away for free, only to be returned. The trainer had seen her brilliance in Argentina and did not want to give up on her. However, in all his years as a professional horse trainer he had never been so defeated. He felt if he could understand what had happened to her to change her in Argentina, he could find the key to unlocking her great potential.
1st Treatment: My sister, an equine veterinarian and I visited the mare in her stall. Wisely, my sister wouldn’t even go in, saying that I was going to get “nailed”. She offered Reiki from a safe distance. The mare was extremely pissed off and threatening, with ears pinned back and reaching out to bite. I explained in a soft voice why I was there, and what I was offering. I entered her stall and beamed the Reiki from a bit of a distance as she would not let us near at all. I explained the energy would make her feel better. She wouldn’t let me near her head at all so I tried to approach her back. If she looked pissed off I would retreat, letting her know I was listening and I would wait until she felt more comfortable. I let her feel she was in control of the session, so she could feel safer and more trusting. After several minutes of this approach and retreat dance, she finally let me place my hands along her back. Even then I had to remove them several more times as she turned with ears pinned back.
I then used animal communication to ask her about herself and what she was feeling. She exhibited a powerful presence, a deep awareness and tons of pride. She was highly aware and very sensitive. I felt her anger and loss of trust in humans. She communicated with words and feelings about what a superstar she was, and how people had really neglected her when she was sold. My sister confirmed the common practice overseas of immediate stall confinement upon purchase, to avoid possible injury and loss of purchase price. Horses can wait locked in a stall for several months until they are shipped! This mare knew she was highly talented and loved the attention and approval. To be suddenly sidelined and ignored and stuck in a stall was a total shock for her. She felt abandoned, disrespected, and ignored. “How could people treat her this way!!??” she kept thinking. She was deeply hurt and very angry. Emotions started coming to the surface, which is always a turning point. We continued beaming Reiki during her emotional releases, and she let out quite a few yawns and other stretches. Her head came down, her eyes softened, and she finally relaxed a little.
After the emotions were expressed, she finally let me touch her head and neck areas. (My sister still wouldn’t enter the stall). The mare did not give me any more details about what had happened to her, yet it was enough to begin processing all these old emotions via Reiki and AC. I was able to get a sense of the mare’s highest potential, and to share her perception of the world so that hopefully new understanding could overlay old behaviors. I spoke a lot about how sensitive and aware she is and that these animals are difficult to maintain as their balance is thrown off easily, they tend to be the most amazing intuitive beings once you figure out how to help them cope with stressors. The mare had a desire to connect with the owner, and have a “favorite” status and feel deeply appreciated. I explained that if she could find the key, this could be her best horse ever.
I then taught the owner and trainer the energy tools of grounding and releasing, to stabilize their energy and release any fear and anxiety before they approached her. They all had become afraid of her–for very good reason! So everyone elses fear reinforced her lack of trust, compounding the situation.
After an hour I had the owner walk her and graze her, and recommit to working with her (at least for the time being). This agreement was crucial to move forward. The owner came back from their walk and noticed some signs of affection and also deep knowingness in her eyes.
I recommended the oil blend Valor to be applied to her spine, to balances emotions and calm the nervous system.
2nd Treatment: About a week later I got a phone call that the owner had ridden her and seen a “huge” change, much calmer and less shying and spooking. The owner had grounded herself, and “C” came over from the paddock immediately to greet her happily, which was a first! The trainer said they were both much more relaxed and wanted another session. My sister came out again with me to her stall and exclaimed, “she is a different horse!!” The mare had her head out, the stall door was open and her ears were happily forward greeting everyone! This time when we applied Reiki there was no resistance. I was able to get more details that there was a fall before she came to US. The owner had a renewed hope of working with her and riding her, and felt much more connected to her. The mare responded by becoming much more social and friendly, seeking affection where before she had not seemed to like it. She was also less aggressive to other horses. At this time she had a minor ankle injury and was laid up, happily getting lots of grooming and attention right before returning back north. I recommended Orthosport oil for the pain and swelling and to speed healing.
Results: I continued long distance phone sessions with the owner, the trainer at times, and “C”. She showed steady improvement as we worked on her fear of crashing a big fence. It turns out that the owner had a bad fall and had all the same worries. This is very common that the animals are mirroring a similar issue as the person. I explained how they can help each other heal. They both made steady progress over the next 9 months. This mare is now the owner’s favorite mount and jumps her and rides her most often now! The owner said she can feel “C” listening more deeply than any other horse she has ever ridden, and being more responsive, intuitive and connected. They went to a show and “C” shocked everyone by happily hanging out in the tent and attending sweetly to the owner’s 93 year old mother with Alzheimer’s. (see photo)
Comments: This transformation was a joy to witness. I am so grateful the trainer did not give up on this mare, and that the owner, who had no experience of either modality, was open to Reiki and animal communication for both her horse and herself, which is often the key to deep shifts.
There was an interesting development as they started jumping her again. “C” would balk at the first jump and try to stop, and the only way the trainer could get her over the first fence was to crop her hard. He quit jumping her as he felt terrible hitting her. When I communicated with the mare about this, I assumed she would be furious that they had been hitting her. Instead she told me she was okay with it, because it made her feel they were “committed” and serious about jumping, and then she would finish the course easily. I always know the communications are accurate when the information is the exact opposite of what I am thinking!
As I dug deeper into this, amazed, she explained that she had a fall and the rider was hurt. She felt terribly responsible, as she was a “superstar” and always felt like she could pack anyone around the course. The fall shook her confidence, and made her worry about the rider’s safety. She needed to feel the rider was as committed and responsible as she was, and then she felt okay about jumping. The cropping gave her the signal they were serious, and that they knowingly took responsibility and were aware of the risk…then she would jump happily! They began to talk to her about assuming the risk of jumping jointly, and though they still have to give her a big push at the first fence, they are not needing to crop her.