Horse Whispering, Dog Whispering, and Mindfulness for Adult/Organizational Learning and Leadership, by James Gregson, Ph.D.

 

Jim Gregson is a friend and a colleague.  He was my first boss when I came to the University of Idaho and I’ve never had a better one.  More than that, he is, as another friend of mine described him, “The real thing.”  He is a true scholar and also a practitioner who cares about our world.  Read his short bio below and you will get an inking of who he is, what he has accomplished, and for what he stands. It is a true pleasure to share his article with you this month. 

 

Thanks in large part to Nicholas Evan’s novel (1995), The Horse Whisperer, and the subsequent movie, a gentle revolution has transformed the traditional harsh and inhumane “training” of horses into an approach that is “horse-centered” or sympathetic to the horse’s motives, needs and desires. However, the notion of “whispering” is no longer just limited to horses. Dog lovers are now learning from world-renowned dog behavior specialist and “dog whisperer”, Cesar Millan. Through Millan’s books, videos and television program, people are implementing techniques to rehabilitate dogs with behavioral problems with a “dog-centered” approach.

 

While the notions of horse whispering and dog whispering are different in some respects because of nuances between horse herds and dog packs, they both are based on the following philosophical principles:

 

There are no “quick fixes.” While some behaviors can appear to change quickly, such changes will not “stick” unless the horse or dog experiences consistent consequences that reinforce desired behavior.

It is not only possible to train without the use of violence and pain, it is essential to eliminate fear and to develop trust and confidence to improve behaviors.

If you pay attention while training horses or dogs, you can begin to “read” them and gain insight into their needs and interests. When you learn their language, you get the feedback needed to inform and shape future training.    

 

I believe that the philosophy of whispering is just as applicable to humans as it is to horses and dogs. In fact, both Buck Brannaman (equine technical advisor for the movie The Horse Whisperer) and Cesar Millan claim respectively that there are no “real” horse or dog problems—just human problems. Consequently, dog and horse whisperers alike work with humans so that they learn how to gently but assertively and consistently give their animals expectations, rules and boundaries for positive behavior.

 

Whisperers recognize that humans are far more complex than either horses or dogs. Further, for a whole host of reasons, humans often behave in ways that are not reflective of their true thoughts and feelings. Nonetheless, with the recognition of these caveats, I learned from a Buddhist monk, and a few highly skilled and enlightened Mongolian horsemen, that similarities do exist between the Buddhist notion of mindfulness and the philosophy of horse whispering.  While working as an adult and vocational education consultant for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on the Gobi desert in Mongolia, I worked, learned and lived in a Buddhist Enlightenment Center where I had an opportunity to experience their notions of “right livelihood” whether it be with horses, humans or nature .It was there while reading the following mindfulness principles articulated by Thich Nhat Hanh,  that I began to see how the Eastern principles of mindfulness were congruent with the following Western principles advocated by horse whisperer Monty Roberts. Assess this congruency for yourself by substituting “humans” for “horses” as you read Monty’s words. 

 

Think and act in the present moment. In this era of multi-tasking it is easy to be distracted by past experience or about a future possibility when working with humans or horses. As horse whisperer, Monty Roberts observed, “Many people watch, but few see.”  Monty also made the following distinction: “A good trainer can hear a horse speak to her/him. A great trainer can hear a horse whisper.”

 

Be non-judgmental. Though it is perhaps a human tendency to judge, it is critical that we as facilitators of learning and leadership understand that negative and unacceptable behavior is often times the result of past experiences (i.e., miss-education) and may have nothing to do with the negative behavior being exhibited. While measures must be taken to reduce or eliminate negative behavior, corrective actions should be done with compassion, respect and non-violence.  Monty advocated “make it easy for your horse to do right and difficult for him/her to do wrong.”  Monty also stated that a horse should be allowed to make mistakes but that the horse has to experience the consequence of them.”

 

Be peaceful and gentle. Considerable violence exists in our society and many humans as well as horses and dogs experience it. While there are many wonderful instances in which humans, horses and dogs have reached their potential and overcome past abuse, overcoming past violence can be a major struggle. As Monty noted, “it is not the great trainer who can cause her/his horse to perform, the great trainer can cause a horse to want to perform.” While ultimately we can never exclude punishment, fostering intrinsic motivation is foundational to learning and workplace productivity.

 

Be generous and be in touch with others. While we cannot alleviate all the suffering caused by exploitation, oppression and social injustice, we can change a moment by practicing kindness and generosity. Monty has said that the performance record of some of his horses provides evidence that he has high standards; however, Monty argues that one must first “join-up” or “connect” with the horse before you can ask the horse for exceptional performance.” The reality is that that “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make her/him drink and that there is no teaching—only learning.”

 

Unfortunately over the years I have encountered many trainers, teachers, administrators and managers who have rejected the whispering philosophy and practiced the historical methods of dominating either horses or humans. They worked with horses or humans as if they were at war with them.  However, not only does there seem to be a greater awareness today that forceful and dominating practices are ethically flawed, but there also seems to be mounting evidence that they just don’t work—especially for the long term.

 

Horse whispering and mindfulness for learning and leading is about choice not force. Learners need time to consider what needs to be learned and whether you are a worthy teacher and/or leader. I have been privileged to have experienced several worthy teachers, leaders, and mentors—whether it has been in working with horses or humans. When I have expressed an indebtedness to one or more of them, I have repeatedly been told that the only way I can “repay” them is to continue “becoming” myself and to strive to foster whispering and/or mindfulness among others. I celebrate that there seems to be a movement in which a growing number of people are interested in becoming, and in helping others become, whisperer-like or more mindful. I wish you much success and meaning in your journey and hope to share the trail with you someday.

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Jim was born and raised in Arkansas where he learned to farm, ranch and care for horses. He became a journeyman carpenter after completing an apprenticeship of six years that he began while still in high school. He then worked his way through college as a carpenter/cabinet maker and earned a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology from the University of Arkansas. After earning his B.A., he practiced socio-carpentry as a custom passive solar home contractor. He then began teaching construction technology at a technical high school and at a community/technical college. He earned a masters degree in Adult and Vocational Education while teaching. Jim left teaching construction technology to pursue a doctorate with a focus on adult and workforce development with a minor in industrial/occupational sociology at Virginia Tech where he was a research associate for the National Center for Research in Vocational-Technical Education. Jim’s specialization is in socio-technical workforce development and “green” collar workforce education. Since joining higher education, Jim has had over 32 refereed publications, has been the Principal Investigator for over six million dollars of grants, and has worked in Canada, Brazil and Mongolia. He has been a professor at the University of Toledo, Oklahoma State University and has been a professor in the Department of Adult, Career, and Technology Education at the University of Idaho for the past seven years. While he has lived and worked in many different geographic and cultural contexts, he has always lived close to the land and with horses.