The below post was sent in by Nicola. She wanted to try and communicate with her mare Dana, which she successfully managed to do with the help of an excellent animal communicator Holly Davis
“Winter Terrors” - A Conversation Between Dana and Myself with Holly as Go-Between!
This conversation started at 1030 hrs and finished at 1235 hrs early summer 2008. It came about because Dana in my eyes had changed from being a very settled, solid personality who seemed very laid back in life; but during the change of season from late autumn to winter she changed to someone I thought had “the winter terrors”!
I couldn’t lead her from the field to the shelter in the orchard. She didn’t want her hard feed or hay. She didn’t want rugs to be changed, if to wear a rug at all. She didn’t want my company at all. She certainly didn’t want to be ridden. She just wanted to spend her time at the bottom of her field, furthest away from houses and people. In the end as she kept losing her shoes in the mud in the field, I got the blacksmith to remove her shoes and basically left her until the late spring, when she became much more “user-friendly”!!
I described Dana physically to Holly and then sat in my sitting room on the phone and asked her the questions, which she in turn asked Dana and then relayed the answers back to me.
These are the notes that I made whilst we had the conversation.
Dana describes herself as a highly spirited, exhuberant mare.
She didn’t like to wear rugs but found she was chilly around her tummy.
She told Holly that she had a sore right hock and that the right hand side of her back behind the saddle area was painful but that this comes and goes.
She also told Holly that the grey horse has very sore hips – Nicola later realised that this grey horse is an appaloosa in a field within sight of Dana.
Key:
In red is what I ask Holly or what Holly is saying to me.
In blue is my question to Dana
In black is either what Dana thinks or is directly saying to Holly.
I asked Holly to ask these questions:
Why in the winter are you a wild, feral horse when in the other seasons you are
so gentle?
Dana is confused. In the summer it’s different I feel peaceful and tranquil. Winter is when I feel normal.
In the winter I feel like I am on hot bricks and part of me finds it exciting!
Wild and feral is how I genuinely feel in the winter.
I really enjoy the excitement and freedom of it. I am not frightened.
There is no distinguishable change. I follow the seasons as the weather changes.
I don’t have a physical problem, it’s not hormonal it’s psychological – a mental thing.
My ability for feral is how I survive – I never wanted to be domesticated.
My connection to be wild is who I feel I am – calmness is when I don’t feel my normal self.
Holly asked her to give reasons as to why she changes – what is the change in the summer?
Dana reiterates – I’ve told you.
Holly says that Dana is ultimately truthful in what she’s saying and that Holly has goosebumps.
Dana says I live by the laws of nature. I live by the seasons and nature – I do not live by the laws of people.
I mentally change in the summer and it’s not physical, not hormonal.
I don’t want to be domesticated but I can cope if I can be feral in the winter.
Why are you always in the field in winter and never in the orchard or field shelter?
Holly says that she knows she is talking to a horse but that it doesn’t feel like she is talking to a horse.
Dana says that she has a connection with nature. I am not interested in civilised comforts.
It’s purely psychological.
I follow the weather seasons and I have a fire in my belly in the winter.
In the summer I act out the weather and am gentle.
I tell Holly about our riding in the winter – I am terrified and don’t enjoy it but I so want to ride and maybe one day, I won’t be frightened and enjoy it. I know but don’t tell Holly that we tolerated the winter, neither of us happy but try to work through the time and system. I ask her to ask for Dana’s opinion of our riding.
Dana says there is no trust, we tolerate each other.
The pair of us are like a stalemate.
She does like me, she tolerates me but her feralness is normal and who she is, we have to tolerate each other.
I don’t ride her in the winter she feels like this as I’m frightened. On one ride she reared 3 times on the trot and wheeling around at a 180 degree turn at the same time – I nearly fell off! Why does she frighten me?
Riding is for humans, not horses – there is a tolerance.
This has thrown Holly. Holly feels that if I try to stifle her winter feelings, then I’ll be repressing her. We are not going to be able to change this. Dana does not have a problem – she is a genuine horse who won’t sacrifice what she feels is right, for anybody.
She has her own opinion and feels that she is very much in tact, so it’s not wrong.
She’s at the mercy of her own feelings.
It is not a behavioural problem. She feels the weather.
Dana says – they are not my seasons, they are nature’s seasons. Stop digging – you won’t find it any more. This is how I feel.
Holly says not to ask her again as Dana is getting annoyed about this question.
Does Dana get lonely? There are no sheep in the field with her during the winter.
Now and again, but not to the point where I would want a companion.
Nicola often wondered and mentioned to Dana whether she would want a companion, but did not mention it to Holly!
But I never feel alone. I never feel abandoned.
Nicola had wondered and mentioned in chats to Dana if she felt at a loss, because she had been sold from her previous owners to Nicola – this was never Dana’s choice and Nicola does feel guilty that horses are not given choices, but moved about like chattels and not personalities (or horseanalities as Parelli puts it!)
Nicola tells Holly about Murphy, a horse she had a few years before Dana. He was a very special horse to Nicola and they had a very close bond. I also told her about a horse called Shalan that I used to look after and ride sometimes – she shared her with her owner and they grew very close.
Dana talks about a coloured pony and her connection to it and other horses – “I’m never alone”.
Holly says that Dana is a very spiritual mare – exceptionally spirited and spiritual.
Is she connected to Murphy?
Laughing – Dana says but we’re all connected in the bigger picture. It’s a two-way thing for her – both connected to Murphy.
Is she jealous of me always talking to and about Murphy?
Not at all – all are relationships.
Holly tells Dana that you upset and make Nicola feel uncomfortable.
Dana replies – can you not understand my feelings.
Holly tells me that she has goosebumps.
Dana says that she must have freedom and that there is a battle between the two. If she couldn’t feel feral, she couldn’t tolerate being anyone’s horse. It keeps her sanity.
Holly tells me that I will have to develop the “it” thing. I asked what that was and she said that it is a feeling of calmness, with no worries whatsoever.
Dana says that her true feeling with no emotion is how she feels in the winter. If I tried to stop how she is, it would mentally destroy her.
I asked Holly about shutting her up in the field shelter (that is gated) when I am waiting for the blacksmith, vet or dentist; or if she injured herself and had to have stable rest.
I need to shut her in the shelter to check her over, for Dana’s health reasons.
Holly very strongly emphasised that I must NOT SHUT HER IN DURING THE WINTER.
Dana does not answer directly to the above statements, but says that she has a lot to teach me. Being connected is something I need to learn and why it would help.
Holly tells me about some books I could read that would help me. She says that the more connected I am to Dana – and ultimately feel will allow trust.
I have to go to meet her half way then trust will come in. It will take the tolerance away.
Holly tells me to stand close to Dana, close my eyes and take deep breaths – head, heart, stomach – fear or calm.
I so want to feel peaceful in the pit of my stomach when I am with Dana.
Holly tells me to sit on Dana and connect with the energy.
Feel each other then fear will go away.
Learn to connect with her.
When Dana and I feel connected – I’ll feel safer.
Does she know that my body is broken?
I do know and feels that it affects her.
Dana says that Nicola’s left arm is not right. A few days later Nicola realised that she wears a magnetic bracelet on her left wrist because she suffers with arthritic pain in her left thumb, other than that I am not aware of any problems in my left arm.
Nicola was admitted to hospital during the early summer and spent 4 days there. I asked Dana if she minded, that I was sorry I was not there for her and that my family had to look after her while I was away.
Don’t feel guilty I always have myself.
Sounds lonely, but it can also mean that I am comfortable in my own company.
Do you want a field companion?
I’m undecided – nice to have company but is it more trouble than it’s worth?
Jealousy (of having to share Nicola’s attention) is not an issue.
I would only want a companion when I want one.
I don’t want a clingy companion. I want the freedom to graze where I choose and not to be told where to go.
I asked about her general health.
I sometimes have a problem with my back and hock.
Wearing rugs is a toleration – Holly said that this was normal for most horses.
The front shoe on my right foot – the clips are uncomfortable.
I asked about a funny noise she makes, a sort of snorting noise.
When it’s very cold, I get that in my nostrils. Sometimes my breathing is a bit difficult, but is not troubling me as such.
Do you have any fears on our rides – in traffic you are so good.
No – it’s more to do with self preservation – while examining and checking things.
What do you think about the artillery and helicopters? Do they frighten you?
No, I’ve got used to it.
Nicola tells Holly that I feed Dana a “cool and calmer” feed additive. Does this help Dana?
Calm what – who I am?
Why would you want to use it?
It can take a very small edge off, but it’s such a tiny amount – don’t bother.
Holly tells me to research herbs. Offer individual herbs one at a time and see if they make a difference.
Holly then advises me to get a 12 foot long lead rope and then I can stand away from Dana and keep safe.
Should I leave Dana in the winter so I can learn more about her and see how she goes?
Holly says to read the books and become connected.
What does Dana think of us as a family?
About Nicola – You have potential and you are interesting. Would you want me to say there is something that isn’t there as yet?
Cannot be loyal until trust is in place. Nicola needs to be with her and make a connection.
About Robert – He plays a very supportive role. He is an inward worrier and doesn’t discuss his worries.
Mark and Stuart – She sees a mother being at a naval docks and finding it very hard waiting for them to come back. Dana knows that it is still very big thing for Nicola to be without them.
Our family is very secure, good and set to last.
It was very interesting to note that I didn’t mention to Holly about what sex, age or names of my children; but Dana knows.
Dana describes us with no emotion. We try to absorb her into our family with walks with Blue, our dog.
Dana’s response is that she feels separated. She doesn’t feel connected to people and therefore has no emotion or neediness from them.
Holly said that she sounds a deep, thoughtful horse who is very calm and grounded.
If she was Holly’s horse she would get a therapist and do aura therapy.
Holly tells me to research communication.
Riding is a sharing thing.
Not heartfelt. Your riding – her riding.
Holly says that Dana wants both rider and horse to come through a connection. That I need to step up a few levels but that there are no time limits.
Holly recommends doing yoga – work to control energy. Nicola needs to be calm and do the spiritual side of it.
What Dana and Nicola are like now.
We are so much more like a team. We really enjoy each other’s company, although I am going to contact Holly and ask her to ask Dana how she is enjoying this winter. I can spend an hour just grooming Dana in her field shelter with the gate shut and she is quite happy, although as you get to the hour mark she starts to sigh – but who can blame her!!
We ride each weekend, weather permitting (snow and hard rain stop me from wanting to go out – old age has turned me into a more fair weather rider)!! Robert comes out with me and keeps an eye on me from a distance, as riding on the Plain on my own I have realised is quite dangerous if you come off! But we are happy to go off and have a trot or canter, something I never could have done last winter!
In the evenings, after she has been fed and watered with rugs changed, I sit next to her in the stable and we spend time together, whilst she is eating her hay! It’s a peaceful time and both of us enjoy it.
She is still a wild horse but she is careful that when she gallops, bucks and rears in the field I am at a safe distance and we laugh together at her playfulness!
Through Holly our relationship has changed so much and I’m very grateful to her. If I hadn’t have found Holly, I may not have been able to keep Dana. Now Dana will stay with me until the end of our lives.
Holly Davis is an intuitive communicator working with people and animals worldwide.
For more information on her services, courses, CDs and magazine columns, please visit her website Centaur Therapies http://www.centaur-therapies.co.uk