Table of Contents
Introduction: Everything Means Something 1
What Is Leadership, Really? 3
The Ideal Connection 3
True Dialogue 4
Species Relationships 4
12 Easy Steps 5
Step 1 Building Your Foundation 7
Finding Your "Inner Zero" 7
Managing "Outer Zero" and Adjusting Volume 9
Observation 12
Mapping the Language 15
Signs of Emotion 16
Mirroring 18
The Art of Conversation 19
A Sense of Humor 21
Ask Good Questions 22
Pausing 23
No Wrong Answers 24
Breath Messages 24
Greeting Breath 25
Beckoning Breath 25
Interested Breath 25
Nurturing Breath 25
Relaxing Breath 26
Yawns, Big Sigh, and Shuddering Breath 26
Sentry Breath 27
Trumpeting 27
Deliberate Breathing 28
The Bubble of Personal Space: Circles and Arcs 28
Contact versus Space 30
Approach and Retreat 32
Go Away and Come Back 33
The 13 Horse Speak Buttons 36
Step 2 Observing Facial Expressions 41
Head Height 42
Muzzle 42
Lick and Chew 42
Biting 43
Tight Lips 43
Curling the Lip 44
Chin 44
Nostrils 44
Jaw 45
Eyes 45
Blinking 47
Ears 47
Learning to Read 50
Step 3 The Four Gs of Horse Speak and the Greeting Ritual 51
Greeting 52
First Touch: Formal Greeting, "Hello," and Copycat 52
Second Touch: Getting to Know You and Copycat 53
Third Touch: What's Next? 53
Conversation: Greeting Ritual 53
Rocking Together 55
Conversation: Rock the Baby 56
Step 4 Going Somewhere 57
Going Somewhere Part One 57
Go Away Face Button and Play Button 57
Scanning the Horizon and Sentry 59
Conversation: Scanning the Horizon and Sentry 61
Going Somewhere Part Two 62
The Forehand 62
Conversation: Please Don't Pick Up/Do Pick Up Your Feet 64
Conversation: Move Your Feet Over 65
Beckoning and "O" Posture 66
Conversation: Greet, Send Away, and Beckon Back with "O" Posture 67
Core Energy 68
Conversation: Back Up 69
Conversation: Blocking Forward Movement 70
Joe: The Conversation Begins 71
Step 5 Horse Speak In-Hand 78
Calming Halter Conversations 78
Conversation: Rock the Baby with Halter 79
Conversation: Rope Slide 80
Furthering Our Claims to Space in Front of the Horse 81
Conversation: Therapy Back-Up 81
Going Somewhere Part Three 84
Moving Forward Together 84
Conversation: Matching Steps 85
Target Hand and Understanding the Horse's Circles and Arcs 87
Variations for Fun 88
Conversation: Fun with Feet 88
Conversation: Obstacle Course 90
Step 6 Grooming Ritual: Finding Unity 91
Sharing Space and Revisiting Pausing 91
Conversation: Sharing Space 92
Making Contact 92
Don't Forget Your "Xs" and "Os" 95
Conversation: Managing Your Belly Button 95
Step 7 The Five Levels of Intensity 100
Learning the Levels 100
Outer Zero and "O" Posture 100
Conversation: Practicing Posture 102
Exercise: "Assertive" Practice 105
Fine-Tuning Your "X" and "O" Postures 107
Fine-Tuning Core Energy 108
Conversation: Managing Your Core Energy 108
Conversation: "Are You Ready?" "Yes, I'm Ready." 110
Conversation: The Waltz 113
Phasing Down 115
Fine-Tuning Approach and Retreat 116
Fine-Tuning Go Away and Come Back 118
Conversation: This Hay Is for You 118
Conversation: Go Back, Come Forward 120
Conversation: Beckoning for Bonding 120
Conversation: Horse Hug 121
Step 8 Negotiating Areas of vulnerability and Defensiveness 123
Getting to Know the Horse's Vulnerable Bits 123
The Girth Button 124
Conversation: Breathe Up the Girth 125
The Jump-Up Button 125
Making Friends with the Defensive End 125
Conversation: "Making Friends" Behind 126
Punctuation 127
Gone 129
Conversation: Tail Swish 131
Hindquarter Sending Messages 131
The Hip-Drive Button 131
Conversation: Send 133
Conversation: Turning the Canoe 133
The Yield-Over Button 134
Conversation: Step Over and Rebalance 134
Joe: In Hand 135
Step 9 Moving with Grace 141
Becoming More Horizontal 141
Conversation: Dancer's Arms 142
Pivoting Energy 144
Conversation: Pivoting with Dancer's Arms 145
Lateral Movement 146
Conversation: Lateral Yield 146
Step 10 Who's Driving Anyway? 147
Conversations on the Longe Line 148
Understanding Your Whip or Crop 148
Conversation: Greeting Your Horse with the Whip 150
Conversation: Practice with the Whip 151
Conversation: Forward on the Longe 152
Conversation: Trace My Bubble 153
Conversation: Drop It to Stop It 155
Conversation: Completing the Circle 156
Conversation: Changing Direction 156
Adding Obstacles 157
Stepping Up the Pace 157
Conversation: Trotting on the Longe Circle 157
The New Longeing You 159
Step 11 Let Them Be Free 160
Horse Speak at Liberty 160
Observe and Mirror 161
Conversation: Over the Fence 161
A Delicate Balance 166
Conversation: Liberty Trotwork 166
Releasing Old News 167
Conversations on the Inside 168
Conversation Beckoning and Sending from the Inside 169
Predictable Directions 170
Conversation: Parallel Tracks 171
Target Practice 171
Conversation: Moving on Target 172
Picking Up Speed 174
Conversation: Trotting on the Inside 174
Conversation: Go Ahead, Canter! 176
An Open Forum 178
Joe: At Liberty 179
Step 12 Now You're Up There… What Should You Do? 186
Mounted Conversations 186
Around the Mounting Block 186
Conversation: Mounting with Breath 187
Letting Go 190
Conversation: Gumby Pose 190
Conversation: "Hello" Rein 192
Conversation: Copycat Reins 193
Conversation: Up-and-Over Rein 195
Building Body Awareness 196
Exercise: Palms Down vs. Fingernails Up 197
Conversation: Fingernails-Up Rein 197
Claiming Space in Front 199
Conversation: Mounted Therapy Back-Up 199
Joe: Under Saddle 201
The White Mare: A Poem 207
Acknowledgments 208
Index 210
