When we go back to visualizing the flow in nature, as in the previous article, we can see that water naturally flows in wavy patterns with ever flowing movements. It doesn't normally travel in straight, circular or start & stop motion. If we compare the flow in nature to the common methods of working with horses, what can we observe?

We dictate mainly straight lines & circles in a continuous start-stop fashion. This goes against the natural movement of nature & doesn't allow much space for harmonious flow. We are taught to keep our feet still & send our horses away from us to perform tasks. In the herd, horses are sent away only when they are being reprimanded for something. If we are trying to create a connection & bond with our horses, does this make any sense? Understandably, if we have an over reactive or aggressive horse, we must keep them out of our personal space until emotional balancing is achieved. Yes, we have to be able to send our horses away from us, but we are taught to do these things continuously from the start. Without first establishing a connection & flow foundation to build on, we are teaching our horses to become & remain disconnected from us.

For illustration, I would like us to analyze how we would feel mentally & emotionally when we're at home as opposed to being out in a large unknown crowd by ourselves. At home we feel relaxed, confident & have no hesitation in acting naturally & extroverted. When alone in a large crowd, we tend to become quiet, reserved, suspicious, introverted & can begin to carry tension in our muscles. Some may even become panicky & want to escape the environment completely. In contrast if we went to a large family reunion, where we know å trust others intimately, we would feel quite relaxed, confident & extroverted being among these people.

In the first & third example, our motions & emotions would be relaxed & flowing. We would not hesitate to get up close & personal with others because we have already built a foundation of trust & respect that doesn't bring the motivations of these people into question for us. If we were to step back & observe ourselves during the second interaction, we would find our motions & emotions out of balance, hesitant & non-flowing, as we try to navigate our way through these strangers.

When we observe & analyze nature, such as the amazing work of Viktor Schauberger, we can find some interesting correlations in how we perceive & work with horses. Schauberger's observations of the natural flow of water parallel my own observations of the emotional flow processes in horses. Start-stop, straight lines & circles move against the natural flow of mental & emotional processes, when out of balance, to create & intensify resistance. As established through Schauberger's & my own observations, circular motions increase the power of unbalanced emotions & create a stronger disconnection. Straight lines remove power & therefore allow the mind to wander aimlessly, to focus on everything except us. Start-stop motion exists in horses during intense focus on potentially dangerous or fearful situations unless we allow our horses ample time to absorb & relax.

We have been taught to move against the flow of nature which doesn't allow for the creation of a true connection & flow with horses. This foundation is necessary from the start to build trust, respect, balance & a willing magnetic effect. This is why we have so many problems with horses. Our horses are walking into an unknown crowd every time they're with us & haven't had an opportunity to build the necessary trust & confidence in us as a "comfort zone" environment. This is the single root cause of problems with horses & is why all problems disappear without addressing them individually or directly during Parameters. It's time to change the rules.