The Energy Field Between You and Your Horse
This article originally appeared in Equine Wellness July 11, 2016 https://equinewellnessmagazine.com/energy-field-between-horse-you/.
Understanding the energy field between horses and humans can help you better connect with your horse.
As electromagnetic beings, we all have an energy field around us called the aura. Every human, every animal, each blade of grass, each animate and even inanimate object has a luminous body that surrounds and interpenetrates it and emits its own characteristic radiation.
In a herd of wild horses, this would be what is referred to as a “sixth sense”, since the horses are in dynamic communication with each other by feeling into the herd. If something is suspicious to one horse, the whole herd reacts. Each individual doesn’t have to “know” what is going on – he or she trusts the greater good of the herd.
This energetic tracking system innately built into our equine companions is also what helps them decipher what kind of a mood you are in and what you are feeling. Horses feel into us. If our energy field seems good, they can trust the greater good of our relationship with them.
Morphic Resonance
This phenomenon is often called morphic resonance and/or swarm theory; the beings are part of a shared field of energy with its own identity, yet the individuals are autonomous within the field.
The field that includes you and your horse has a life of its own! As a unified field, it has a unique relationship to other beings and things all on its own. This may explain why button-pushing activities, like repeatedly spooking at the same flagpole, continue from your horse, whether you like it or not! As a unit, you have created a neural pathway.
After doing anything a few times, you create a neural pathway. You don’t need a manual to tie your shoes every day – it’s a neural pathway. Neural pathways become ingrained, deeply etched into the psyche of both human and horse and your combined energy field. Behavior patterns get reinforced into this field of energy, and some of these patterns are not as innocuous as tying your shoes!
In my book Energy Healing for Animals, I talk a lot about the energetic field, and that because horses are so “vulnerable” to energies, it is up to us to be the Emotional Leader. Being a leader doesn’t mean we have to be a tough alpha lead mare — it means that rather than reacting, we can remain neutral and maintain the ability to make sound decisions on behalf of both beings. Also, we can come to the relationship with the energy of intention. I set the intention with my animal companions of harmony. This means that my intention will inform my feelings, actions and penetrate the field of energy around me. Therefore, my horse(s) can’t help but to feel and respond to the intention.
Sound simple? Not so much. An entire natural horsemanship industry has been built because of this. We can’t help but get frustrated when our horses won’t get in the trailer or stand at the mounting block. Because horses are prey animals, the field of energy around them is more fine-tuned than that around predators (us). If our own field of energy is not exuding safety, our horses’ reactions may get bigger and bigger. This often triggers a less than favorable reaction from us, creating an endless bad biofeedback loop!
Weakened Energy Field
This negative loop weakens the energy field. What does this mean? It is believed that by the time something ends up as disease in the body, it has been developing in the energy field long before it manifests in physical form.
A weakened field could also mean that the horse is more susceptible to fight or flight behavior. This isn’t safe for horse or rider. Often, we’ve inherited these challenges when we join forces with our new horse companions. Some of the behaviors we see weren’t even created with us.
Native tribes and shamanic wisdom say that if a being has an accident or a trauma, a piece of their soul is left at the location of the trauma. An energetic healing technique called soul retrieval, involves going back to the event in the mind’s eye and retrieving the part of yourself that was left behind at the place of the accident and/or trauma.
Many energy healers believe that an injury on the body also leaves a little “hole” in the field of energy, leaving that area of the body that much more vulnerable to something happening again. This alone provides an energetic explanation as to why some horses continue to injure themselves over and over.
When we hear the phrase “I was beside myself with worry!” it literally means that to some degree, you left your body and were not operating with all your senses. Horses do this also. Often, you can see horses shut down and disappear within themselves. Others seem to shoot right out of the top of their heads, and their bodies become an unwieldly 1,000-pound danger.
Becoming the Emotional Leader
I bring up all these possibilities of what can go wrong in the energy field because the good news is that it’s all repairable. You don’t have to be some big energy worker, a magician, or a pet psychic. All it takes is a commitment to your connectivity as a partner to your horse. Part of this commitment is for you to step up and step into the relationship as the Emotional Leader.
Being an Emotional Leader doesn’t mean you have to come in with pristine emotions. You can have a bad day at work, a fight with a sibling, or be frustrated with a spouse and still be committed to being the leader even if your field of energy is slightly weakened by the emotions running your world.
When your horse triggers you negatively, you might try a different reaction, like amusement, understanding or curiosity. By being available in this way, you are being fully present with him. Being present is all our horses are really asking of us.
I have found that when people play with the energy field surrounding themselves and their horses, they get to know their horses in a profound way. The trust deepens, and the health and happiness of both improve.
