the Ears of Horses

by Lynn R. Miller of Singing Horse Ranch

Younger man standing in his barn, horses and a mule in their stalls: “In a hurry, impatient; I want my horses and mules to be really, really good because I’ve got farming to get done and I know I’m new at this and it’s a steep learning curve but, hey, I ain’t got a whole lifetime to get things going here. I have a two-store natural food chain that wants my herbs and veggies, but I had to sign an agreement to supply on a certain schedule. I know I can do it based on last year’s smaller setup but I have a narrow window to get my farming kicked into productive gear. Plowing and such; can’t afford tractors, don’t like them. And not going to follow around an electric walk-behind tractor, seven acres of produce will kill me at that. I’m watching my savvy Amish neighbors and they are getting the field work done, they are covering it. Their horses go calmly about the work. If a job needs doing, they put two three or four horses on an implement and go do it. That’s where I need to be. Sure, I’ve got a motley bunch of equines – what I could afford. A couple of them know more than I do, or at least they keep insisting on it. But the other three are green as beans. It’s confusing. Society and cultures in disconnect. No shortage of people who want to argue about what’s wrong. What about arguing for what is right? Me, I don’t have time for that junk, I need to get my farming done, and done with horses and mules. Period.

“I know a man who raised his sons to work horses, those boys are twenty something now and don’t want anything to do with farming, but when they come round on weekends to help their old man – geez its embarrassing. I don’t know much but it’s obvious these dudes got zero interest in work horses. What I wouldn’t give for what those brats know.”

Older man visiting, also standing in that barn, looking around as though he’s not listening, long pause then he asks: “You know how to work? `Cuz if you don’t you will have no relationship with these animals. How would you know how much to expect if you don’t know that about yourself? Meanwhile, what makes you the judge of your neighbor’s boys with work animals? You remind me of a man standing out on a diving board over an empty pool arguing about needing to get his lawn mowed.”

Younger man filtering what he’s hearing and shaking his head: “They just look like they’d rather be somewhere else, and they get angry real quick with the horses. And yes, I know how to work. More important I guess is that I know I need to learn a lot before this work horse stuff starts to get streamlined and easier. But it seems you are mighty angry yourself. But heck, I appreciate you coming. Guess this is the point where you wish me luck and leave.”

Older man beginning to enjoy the sloppiness of the moment: “You know how to work you say, and you know it will take time but you want it to work right now. Whole bunch of contradiction there. So, are you doing some of it now? What’s the most difficult part?”

Younger man, taking a breath, pleasantly surprised by the engaged and direct question: “I’m tired of being anxious about the two colts not standing quiet. I’m frustrated that the mare always wants to charge forward and yank the mule back with the evener. And Bosco, damn his soul, does not want to pull. I see some Amish guys out working and their horses don’t do anything until and unless they’re told. But when they are told they get with it. I need to get there, to that point, but right now – it seems it’s a long ways off.”

Older man, pushing back: “Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves here. Met a man years ago, early eighties, long before you were born, at a field days event in Missouri, his name was Leonard Mothersbaugh. He had four two-year old blonde Belgian colts broke the very best. Somebody asked him, “how do you train your horses to be like that?” He said “It ain’t about training, it’s about making it happen. It’s about repetition.”

I see you shaking your head.

Why am I bothering to tell you this if you think you already know it all? Looks to me you might be setting yourself up for failure if for no other reason than you are ready to give up right when you are on the verge.”

Frustrated and snarky, Younger man: “Verge of what?”

Older: “Of getting out of the way.”

Younger: “But…”

Older: “Other thing Mothersbaugh said: Seventy times is what it takes. You have to quietly, and with determination, hitch and work those colts seventy times and after that the lessons become engrained in their brains.”

Maybe seventy, maybe less, maybe a few more. In my opinion, the number is not as important as the line of progression and the consistency and the repetition. The reinforcements along the way? Those are: you doing things the same way, never contradicting your own instructions to them. If you require they do not take a single step until you give clear command, never grant an exception. Never.”

Younger: “But I need to get the work done now!”

Older: “Yes. And that is in your favor. Because the very best way for those horses and mules, and you, to learn is to have something else to focus on. And work is the best thing to focus on. You and they have work to do and that is the very best formula. Focus on the work, pay attention to those horses and do everything the same way, over and over again.”

Younger: “Wait, you want me to have something else to focus on BUT you want me to pay attention AND always do everything the same way?”

Older: “With work animals and with nature, ‘contradiction’ as a distinction is after the fact and mostly useless. If you are worried about contradicting yourself, find a desk job with a soft chair.

I used to think that success could only come to those who were naturally inclined to working with horses, naturally inclined and intuitive. But now I realize that the patience and empathy you earn from determination and good expectations – that’s something you grow into – and that’s something that defines you.”

Younger: No sound, just a deadpan, borderline angry, snarl.

Older man: “Here’s a contradiction maybe you can understand: Don’t try to do the work until you have the time, space and patience it will require. Yes you are impatient. You need to work that impatience out of yourself as much as you need to work it out of your animals. You got field work to do, so pick a job for today that’s safe and definitely repetitive, then find a safe way to get your best three animals hitched and into the field pulling something – back and forth and back and forth until all of you are beyond tired. Then and only then, unhitch (ideally someone is around to help you) BUT, and this is important, IF they will not stand quietly to be unhitched, calmly GO BACK to the field immediately and repeat the work cycle until you all are even more tired.

Intelligence in these things comes most often from a workable applicable understanding of what has just happened. Thinking ahead of the work that you know what you don’t know, or that you can outsmart the situation on the fly, that is a formula for imbedding stupidity.”

Younger: “What are you smiling about?”

Older: “Your ears. You are listening to yourself as I talk. Good horses hardly ever listen to themselves.”

Younger: “Ears huh?”

Older: “Yep. I want my calm, steadfast, horses and mules with their ears up and forward, backward, rotating, one separate from the other. Tells me they are present and accounted for. Shows they are paying attention. Tells me we are working just fine now.”

Old man turns to leave the barn, then looks over his shoulder at horses and young man: “Don’t blow this moment, these moments. I’m too old now to do what you are setting out to do. My effective working days are passed. No regrets, had fifty years with lines in my hands. Best days of my long life.

I envy you, you’re a lucky man, and these equine are lucky to have you to shape, and they will shape you. Mark my words, if you stay with it, calm and consistent, one day you will find you have mastered the craft. It will likely come when you discover as you plow or mow that you are humming in time with the work; and your work mates, ears pointed back, won’t care that you are off key.”