I introduced you to trainer Elsa Sinclair in my consensual riding post, but I wanted to give you a little bit more…
Here’s the longer trailer for the Taming Wild documentary, where Elsa asks the question: If a wild horse had complete choice – no ropes, arenas, halters, whips etc. – would the horse choose to be ridden?
And then here is a lovely radio interview with Elsa, with all kinds of behind-the-scenes details – such as what it’s like to drive a trailer with 2 frightened-out-of-their-minds mustangs inside!
Elsa also speaks to the question of: If I have a truly consensual and collaborative relationship with my horse, will that lead to riding? Or will it just lead to a lot of time hanging out together?
You can download the podcast audio here or copy and paste this link in your browser: http://listenhorse.s3.amazonaws.com/Elsa-Sinclair-WhatDoesAHorseNeedInItsCore.mp3
Other highlights include the importance of establishing a base of physical and emotional safety. So the horse can relax into play and learning; once it’s essential needs were met. And how taking long walks together slowly led to the development of a language where they could communicate things like, what meant forward, left, right, stop – and how they communicated those things to each other. Elsa says, “Slowly we built a language, a way to talk about what we were going to do next, and how we were going to do it.”
Myrnah also taught Elsa the crucial importance of building incrementally – her idea of increments, which were much shorter/simpler than Elsa’s ideas – to maintain the trust in their relationship as they progressed.
You can purchase the Taming Wild film as a digital download, or DVD/Blu-Ray. Or you can check out my review of the film first!
Jini Patel Thompson is a natural health writer and Lazer Tapping instructor. She began riding at age 2 in Kenya, and got her first horse at age 8 in Alberta, and so continues a life-long journey and love affair with these amazing creatures.
