Do you have SUL for the horses?

Unconditional Love

E. A. Buck 2012

Unconditional: not subject to conditions; complete.

Sympathetic: having the capacity of being simultaneously affected with the same feeling as another.

Love: an intense feeling of deep affection or fondness for.

In Sanskrit the word for a deeper compassion is karuna. Karuna is actually our ability to relate to another in so intense a measure that the plight of the other affects us as much as if it had been our own.

In other words, placing these three words as ‘Sympathetic Unconditional Love’ would clearly stipulate what the Spirit within all life would expect of us. No matter your religion or spiritual practice, all relationships with all living beings is herein mandated by these three words.

So how can a human being whom schools and rides a horse, inflict pain and discomfort upon the horse in order to subjugate the horse into a forced set of actions resulting in a false and forced frame of body by which the rider inhibits the performance of the horse?

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Comment by Barbara F. on August 5, 2012 at 2:35pm: I have sympathetic love for my horse, but it is certainly not unconditional. Uncondintional love is reserved for my children.

I have no problem with conditional love for a horse or a person. Caspari has earned my love. I don't think people with horses that constantly try to buck them off, bite them, try to kick, bolt or rear up have to love that horse. Why would they? I would never tell someone they had better love that horse unconditionally. Rather I would direct them toward working with a horse that's a better fit for both.

BUT, that being said, I do believe in unconditional respect for the horse as a living creature and in unconditional responsibility for the well-being of a horse in your care.

Regarding that false frame, often it's part of the learning process, and all of us make hundreds of mistakes while trying to figure out the correct balance and feel.

BUT if someone calls themselves a professional, they had better already have that feel and not "inflict pain and discomfort upon the horse in order to subjugate the horse into a forced set of actions resulting in a false and forced frame". That is just shameful.

Comment by Jackie Cochran on August 4, 2012 at 11:44am: Part of it is that in this culture a horse is never considered an equal being, a being that a person can work WITH.

Instead they are looked upon as lower than soul-less machines.

Comment by E. Allan Buck on August 4, 2012 at 10:03am: Ah Marlene,

You gave the perfect response.

Comment by Marlene Thoms on August 4, 2012 at 9:57am: Three reasons people can do this:

1) Not everyone has SUL for horses. Many people just see them as a tool, a means to an end, not really a sentient creature.

2) People lie, especially to themselves. So they want to think they love their horse, convince themselves they do, and then don't feel guilty about the effect of their actions on the horse.

3) People are strongly influenced by those around them, sometimes against their better judgement. If you put those same people amongst others who feel and demonstrate SUL, they will behave and think differently (or not).