Blackie

“Blackie” – 13 yr. Thoroughbred gelding – barn visit & communication

“Ask him why he’s such an asshole!” Huh??!
That was the question posed to me when I visited a very blunt but gifted and accomplished horsewoman named Janice. That was all. No follow-up or background. All I knew was that amongst the several horses in Janice’s paddock - many of whom were rescues - Blackie was indeed, the black one. Also, that Janice had worked with other communicators in the past and was not overly impressed & undoubtedly gave them just about as much information & conviction as I just got. Needless to say, I was intimidated before even stepping foot in the corral!

Walking into the paddock with Janice, I began to communicate with Blackie by first introducing myself to him and asking him if he would be open to having a conversation about his person’s concerns for him. I never once asked him whether or why he is an (alleged) asshole. 

Blackie readily approached me so that we were face to face & with the understanding of horsy-politeness, we ‘blew’ at each other in greeting and acknowledgement. Only his eyes signaled that he was haunted by something. As the other horses gathered round in a semi-circle to ‘listening in’ (in an almost Disney-like fashion), I continued to connect with Blackie, stroking his ears, forelock, neck & muzzle. Janice moves her hands over Blackie almost continuously as we talk. 

For all intents and purposes and in my experience, the conversation is brief but pointed. Blackie very clearly shares with me that he no longer trusts human-beings. He had a tough life before he had been rescued by Janice but it was a particularly terrifying and painful incident that had cemented that belief in him. He shows us a time earlier when Janice was training him with a Hackney chariot (like those used in racing) and how after hitting a hidden stump in the field, the chariot literally began to fall apart to where Janice was ditched and Blackie ran around in terror through the field with the sharp extensions of the ‘chariot’ screeching behind him – cutting up not only the ground but also his hind quarters. By the time Janice was able to catch up with him to hold him safe, he was at the point of exhaustion and collapsing in shock & terror. Janice confirmed this event and asked what she could do to make him feel more comfortable around humans as she loved him very much and wanted one day to ride him again. Blackie had trepidations in answering and asked why she would want to ride him when there were so many other ‘beautiful’ horses that were unafraid to be ridden. I communicated Janice’s answer to Blackie but he insisted that he needed to hear it verbally from her and that she address him directly. She did so.

Blackie then communicated again his horror and panic from the accident and asked that he never again be put in that position. Janice promised him that he would never be strapped to a hackney chariot ever again. As she continued to check his body over, Blackie thought for a moment and then told Janice that he would accept a bridle and that he wanted the one specifically that had sheepskin round it; the one that was hanging closest to his stall in the barn. She agreed though she was surprised as that bridle hadn’t been used in quite some time, and told him again how much she loved him. Blackie agreed to think about the possibility of letting a human ride him once more and then quite abruptly communicated that he was done talking for now and with a shake of his head, galloped off – with herd in tow.

It was only on the way back to the farmhouse that Janice, who is also an equine vet, confided that Blackie had not let anyone get within 100 yards of him for over 4 years! He even had to be sedated to be shod. I’ll never forget that moment, as I sputtered “But, but, but...?!”.. Like an old cow-hand, Janice just said “Yep.”, snorted, and continued on to the house.

Several months later, I visited Janice again for a social event at her farm. I found Blackie with his head at the fence, looking for some kind of attention along with the other horses. Despite having had a minor reactionary setback a short while earlier which Janice was able to address with the help of some homeopathic remedies, Blackie now pesters Janice regularly about riding & will remain forever more one of my favorite people and one of my most indelible memories.