The
Horse Listener - author Mark Hanna is on
the verge of releasing his new book Easily
and Effortlessly: The Horse Listener Resurrected. Mark writes, “I seek to
influence the youth and as many horsemen and future horsemen who will listen
to my message.”
Mark
shares his passion for the Arabian horse as he provides insight to
horsemanship, being an equestrian, caring for horses, and life in general…
Welcome Mark!
GM:
What is the premise for your new book Easily
and Effortlessly: The Horse Listener Resurrected?
MH:
I first want to explain the concept of a "horse listener". We
have been told of the importance of becoming a "horse whisperer".
Mankind has been blessed with its partnership with the horse, whether it
has been voluntary or involuntary. This equine partnership has helped
civilize mankind in the world. On his back and through his utility we
have extended our reach and industry. A horse is a living and thinking
creature that has recently been proved to have extensive emotions and can read
the emotions of the creatures around them. The horse "whispers"
in our ears and it is our responsibility to "listen". Man, as a
predator, has especially dominated the horse's life and history by using many
methods of control. The horse is a "prey" animal and thus has
instincts of survival to protect himself from the "predator". The
predator has instincts that has allowed him to survive. There is a clash
of these two instincts that tend to raise its ugly head when these two
instincts interact.
There
seems to be two schools of thought in dealing with the horse. One is
based on dominance to break the spirit of the horse and force him to comply
with our demands. The other is to understand the nature of the horse and
work with him to elicit a spirit of cooperation. Without getting into the
nuance of the utilization of dominance of the one school of thought, I have
come to understand that there is a benefit of both man and horse when we embark
in the latter school of thought.
My
book is a culmination of years of experience with the two schools of thought
and the conflicts that the mingling of the two in my life had affected me.
GM:
When did you first begin riding? Were you a self-taught rider?
MH:
My first experience with a horse was in Inglewood, California when I was ten
years old. I lived three blocks from Hollywood Park Racetrack. My
sister took me to the morning work outs. My previous reading of the Black Stallion series and the appearance
of the thundering hooves on the track suddenly appearing out of the mist of the
coastal fogs along with the smells and ambiance of the stable surroundings had
a very strong influence on my future. I was a city boy, but the move to
Northern California of our family would launch me into a quest to fulfill my
dreams of being with a horse.
I
was a city boy with a love of horses that was deep inside of me. I had
come to understand I had a promising aptitude for riding. During an
episode of riding a rental horse, my wrangler challenged me to the old cup of
hot coffee test while trotting. I passed that test with not a drop
spilled. My sister came through again connecting me with local horse
owners who needed chores done in exchange with use of their horses. I would
ride my bike thirty miles down a steep winding road down to the canyons below
to these horses for the weekend where my mother would come and take me home
while I would enthusiastically share my experiences with her. I would
fall off of that feisty mare many times and get right back up, I told her.
My mother met a young woman, Mrs. Young, who had been raised in the East
with riding school education based on the English model. She arranged for
me to work for her five days a week. I was in high school with an ADD
personality. Among my many exploits, horses dominated.
My
experience there taught me the husbandry of the horse. I would ride her
big buckskin as often as possible, but still did not have anything but an
aptitude for riding with no lessons. I joined my local 4-H club and was
the only boy in my club. I ate up everything they taught. During my
sophomore year, I saw a travelogue film of Catalina Island with a mention of
the Wrigley El Rancho Escondido Arabian horse ranch in its interior. Mrs.
Young had a chestnut Arabian gelding I fell in love with. Wayne Newton
also had a promotional film about Arabian horses that sparked my interest, I
knew that was the breed of horse I would pursue.
My
best friend lived on Catalina Island during the summers. His father was
an employee of the Catalina Island Company. I told my mother I was going
to visit him, and somehow traveled 500 miles and across the channel to the
Island showing up on my friend's front porch. I asked his father to take
me out to the ranch in the interior which had to be accomplished with a card
key. During our visit to the Arabian horse ranch, I opened my mouth and
asked about summer employment. That opened me up to the next four summers
of employment on the horse ranch bearing the Arabian horse of my dreams.
I started at the bottom and was introduced to the many aspects of ranch
life including cattle roundups and roping.
The
experience on Catalina Island launched me into a quest to be involved with the
Arabian Horse. 1969 was the start of the rapid popularity of the Arabian
horse. I sought to maximize my exposure by joining a major horse
transportation company that specialized in the hauling of Arabian horses; many
horses seen and many horse ranches visited in a short period of time.
This experience along with working for many Arabian horse ranches throughout
the country gave me a good foundation. My dreams came true when I was
able to start my own Arabian breeding farm in Oregon. A big connection
from my time on the road led me to Germany and my leasing and eventual purchase
of an Arabian stallion named Shahwan. During my time in Germany, the
influence of the Spanish-Egyptian cross led me to breed the ingredients of this
cross. In order to compete and market my horses, I learned and developed
halter training. I raised my horses with love, but still did not
understand the concept of developing a willing partner based on cooperation.
My horses in the past were ruled by dominance and along with the love I
had for the Arabian horse, I used dominance to get my way with them. I
loved my horses and started to learn body language by living among my horses
for so long. I would experience short periods of cooperation different
than my use of dominance. The horses were willing to work with me.
Natural Horsemanship was not the rage, but there were old masters out
there I had not had contact with. The halter showmanship of the Arabian
horse had developed a use of intimidation and the exploitation of the
"fight and flight" instinct of the horse to bring out the supposed
natural beauty of the Arabian horse. I was determined to compete with the
big halter trainers and emulated their tactics with my training.
I
raised from a foal, a magnificent Arabian stallion *Zalamero. During my
training, I was caught off guard by his instinct of self-preservation where he
brutally attacked me by biting me on my shoulder, lifting me up and throwing me
down. My natural reaction while I still had his lead was to beat him up
with my whip. Suddenly I had a big epiphany. I loved this colt and
was administering this terrible technique on him. His only way to protect
himself was to attack me. I stopped myself, with tears flowing, I hugged
him as we both cried in each other’s arms. He loved me as I loved him.
Never again would I use those tactics.
After
a long period of reconciliation, my beloved stallion and I would go on without
abuse to win without intimidation. My whole understanding had changed.
I had embarked on a new road to understanding. My importation of my
Shahwan to the USA and my exportation of *Zalamero to Germany changed my course
of horsemanship drastically. No more halter, I had left that aspect of
industry in place of the performance horse. Sport Horse was now my focus.
My *Shahwan GASB when imported had been included in the Trakehner horse
registry as the first Arabian stallion in the USA to be an approved improvement
sire. Shahwan in Germany was known as Germany's finest bred stallion in
100 years. He had become German National Champion; almost World Champion
Arabian stallion and the highest scoring Arabian stallion to take the
performance test in Germany. I came to know Shahwan as my soulmate.
My new contacts with horsemen of similar philosophy, soon to be known as
Natural Horsemanship, and my willing temperament in Shahwan guided me to learn
of another way. My mind was opening up to the deep understanding of the
horse based on their nature. I was starting to get there.
 |
| Shahwan and Mark |
Unfortunate
events would eventually lead me to the loss of most of the important and
special things of my life. I lost my special stallion Shahwan, my ranch,
dispersal of my horses, my marriage and my son. Forced to live in and
drive my truck for four years, I sunk into a deep depression. Jesus
Christ ultimately had a great influence in making me into a different person.
I put Christ first in my life now. Horses were hopefully in my
future again. I accepted whatever he had in his will. With my whole
spirit changed, and many dark aspects of my life gone, I had started to gain a
spiritual understanding of the horse.
A
Shahwan daughter, wild right from the start, challenged me to apply this new
found knowledge. I was likely led by the spirit of my soulmate Shahwan
that summer as I brought this beautiful three-year-old filly along. Along
the way, I found I had an ability to see pictures of the thoughts that the
horses were sending to me. I learned to send them my thoughts back in
pictures. This would revolutionize my understanding and ability to
communicate with my equine partners.
Now
as to being a "horse listener". I have lived with horses for
forty years before this time and my ability to read body language was well
developed. I now was able to read the mind of the horse in pictures.
I have many experiences that have changed the attitude of the horses I
work with by utilizing this gift I had been given by God after my redemption.
My
book was inspired by the spirits of my two most influential personages in my
life. Shahwan and my dear friend Maria. They pushed me to write
this book with their continual inspiration. I believe in God who created
all that we see. We were with each other before we came to earth in
spirit, horse and human and creature. Our desire to come down together to
experience the world together, horse and human was strong in this book.
But, the ability to do so is not that easy. I have melted together
myself as the person I had become in my life along with a person who I wanted
to be and the lessons I could teach myself along the way. My new self
would have a hand in redeeming the old self. The old self would teach how
to respect and partner with the horse and avoid the pitfalls along the way by
use of the wrong way. Other characters would tell the story of the old
self explaining why he had exiled himself into the truck and his history
involving his love of the Arabian horse and his soulmate Shahwan.
Together, they would bring together both worlds by understanding.
Opposition results in meaningful lessons learned. As long as they
had the light of Christ and would heed that feeling, they would prosper.
Continuing to learn and apply this new found knowledge, both parties
departed into an adventure of equine partnership. Civilizing a wild three-year-old
Shahwan filly together, they followed destiny into the desert of the middle
east. Out of Egypt, they would find the ingredients of their future
breeding program. An exciting cliff hanger would leave the reader to
desire to share in their future adventures.
I
am a self-taught rider along with sporadic dressage lessons. I have
developed an understanding in balance and softness in my lessons leading up to
mounting my equine partner. I have been hired to judge many schooling
shows where I use this knowledge to help my fellow horsemen. This
partnership starts at conception of your first horse and the learning you
impart to her. Then on to the next generation at conception. My
breeding stock is chosen by temperament along with character and ability to
learn. Athletic ability is paramount. This is a starting point.
My foals have instinctive learning that the mares pass on to them at
birth like their instinct to survive when they are born passed on in their
nerve endings at birth. I have been greatly influenced by the Parelli
principles of learning by a lateral approach. Building a foundation on
the ground before you attempt to mount. My horses are motivated to learn
by a curious attitude and by having fun. Never a bored horse. Build
on what they learn but never push too hard or force or become angry.
Trust and respect built from the start with never ending learning.
My mentors from afar are the phenomenal founders of "Cavalia",
Frederic' Pignon and Magali Delgado. I strive to follow their
"Golden Principles of training". My learning never stops as I
continue to learn from my horses.
I
have been blessed to have been able to freeze semen from my soulmate stallion
*Shahwan GASB. This semen is reserved in the future for a replacement to
be produced for his sire Shahwan. I now own an Arabian mare HMA Cazsmira
by Versace who came into my life unexpectedly after six years being horseless.
Her grandams breeder blessed me with a breeding of Cazsmira to their
wonderful stallion Sharif El Shaklan resulting in her beautiful daughter HMA
Cazshablanca. I am in the process of breeding these two to Shahwan who is
a German Marbach stallion. Cazsha's sire has three tail female lines to
Marbach. I am hoping for a filly from Caz and a colt from Cazsha.
It has been my dream to replace Shahwan with his son to continue his legacy.
GM:
How has your position as former Equine Director of the Arivaca Boys Ranch,
Arizona, impacted your riding skills, listening skills, and horsemanship?
MH:
Arivaca Boys Ranch was an experience that helped me understand how the horse
and the skills from natural horsemanship help the boys with their confidence.
The boys would be given a wild horse and along with their training of
natural horsemanship, they would learn that cooperation, not force, would yield
results. They would then ride their new partners on a final ride in the
White mountains of Arizona. An abused horse is not unlike a boy with
problems. You need to use similar skills to bring out the trust in both
of them. We are continually using our predator tendencies to gain control.
Learning both natures of prey and predator, the boy will learn that the
horse will cooperate willingly. An aha moment was a very distinct thing
and changed these boys forever. The boys will take these lessons home with them
when they graduate. Parelli teaching aids were donated to the ranch and I
devoured them. I applied them liberally with the boys and taught my own
horse Caz using the levels. She excelled as I did also. I continue
to use Parelli level training along with my philosophy. I believe that my
skills help people come together with their horses. A person becomes
stuck with inflexible learning. The nature of the horse must be understood.
How a horse reacts to their surroundings and circumstances affects how
well they learn. The learning process of horse and rider is endless.
I fill in the spaces when a rider or horseman is stuck so they can
progress.
GM:
Describe the perfect horse and the perfect place to ride...
MH:
My perfect horse is of course the Arabian Horse. But considering his
contribution to most of the light breeds of horses in the world, He is the
oldest breed of horse in the world. I am spiritually connected to this
proverbial horse. Breeding horses is continual because of genetic
degradation. Man has influenced the Arabian horse by choosing him for his
ability to partner with him. They chose him by genetic strength
demonstrated by his harsh environment he lived in. For thousands of
years, he helped the Bedouin survive. He was revered for his resilience
and loyalty. I obviously consider my soulmate Shahwan as the perfect
Arabian horse among the thousands of his other progenitors. But because
he is in concert with so many other fine stallions I could not own at one time.
I will always pursue the finest horse as my quest as long as I live. I
am blessed by the horse that God has given me the privilege to be with.
When Shahwan died, I thanked God for his time with me and gave him back
to God where he came from. That gave me peace back into my life as I
still grieve, but I have hope for the future in his future Shahwan son.
My
perfect place to ride is in Bidwell Park, in Chico, California. Difficult
trails, easy trails with swimming holes to cool off in. When I was a
youth, I lived and boarded my horses adjacent to this fine place.
GM:
What does the future hold for you in regards to horses and educating riders on
proper horsemanship?
MH:
I am dedicating the rest of my life to educating the youth and beginning rider
that there is a sensitive creature that they are dealing with under their
saddle. Their steed only wants to survive. Understanding the nature
of this powerful individual and dealing with their own nature will
help them with their own lives also. The horse and rider will continue to
progress with no plateaus with this understanding. I want to help people
who have reached a roadblock with their horses. Every discipline of
horsemanship is affected by these roadblocks. From beginner to advanced
rider, this knowledge will help them.
I
want to become a partner with my horse who has given to us so much in their
history. I want to make them happy that they are with us. We have
taken them out of their wild environment and it is our treatise with them to
provide for them a safe environment relieved of stress. The horses bring
happiness into my life and I cannot imagine myself without them. Like a
coach, I want to help the horse excel in all areas he has aptitude in. Horsemanship
is the journey we are undertake by learning all aspects of horsemanship from
masters before us and striving to become a master to pass on these things to
our future horseman.
I
feel like my new book will be very pivotal in people’s lives and in their
growth with horses. As well as the lessons learned, it is an adventure.
"My treasures neither clink
nor glitter,
but gleam in the sun & neigh in the night."
--Arabian proverb
Gina McKnight
is an author and freelance writer from USA. gmcknight.com
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