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Subject: +*+*+*+ Stephen's Secure Blog #206 "Feeling Horse" +*+*+*+
Date: Wed, 31 Jul 2013 18:08:01 -0400
From: " +Grant. " <+Grant@grant.grant>
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Stephen's Secure Blog #206
These stories about Stephen began was when he was 10 years old, and
moving to a new part of the country to attend a special school for
gifted students, in the 1950's. This was from a time before computers
would fit on a desk, and when people communicated with friends in other
countries by actual letters sent through the postal service. He wrote
225 of them to a friend. He stopped writing to his penpal, but found he
still wanted to record his life, in case he lost his memory again, and
wrote 30 entries in his first logbook. Then he wrote to an artificial
intelligence called Geenee, in the master computer in his school for
gifted students, which he started attending in 2016. Now it's after
2018, and he's continuing to save his memories in a secure blog.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
The stories may not be posted in chronological order.
Stephen is 16 in this story, in the Summer after year 6 of his special
school.
Stephen's Secure Blog #206 "Feeling Horse"
START Page
The next morning, at the fair grounds, I said to the group, "Today we
learn about horses." I said to Srinoy, "Do you think some of the people
who weren't interested in horses before, might want to stay for this?"
He grinned and said, "They might." I said to the group, "Do they?" They
really did. I said "Why do horses let us ride them? Some other animals
won't let us, and some who do, sometimes change their minds right in
the middle of things. Why do horses let us ride them a lot, and
actually like us after they get to know us, and desire our company?"
After a lot of thinking, one said, "Because they are social animals?" I
said "They are, and so are a lot of other animals who won't let us ride
them." No answer. I asked Srinoy, and he said, "I don't know." I said
"I know, because I have an, er unusual ability. I have to tell you,
because you will see it in action, but it's not something I would like
spread around. Alright?" They agreed. I said "I can talk to them, and
they understand me, and I understand them."
One of the workers said, "So that's why they were so well behaved
this year!" I said "Yes, because I asked them to. So you know I really
understand them. Horses like to play, and they have a lot of curiosity,
but they don't actually think. When they do things with us, it's very
interesting for them, and they get to experience things they never
would have thought of doing. And, if we are nice to them, they love us,
for that, and because they really are social animals. That's the good
part. The bad part is they hate being shut up in a stall in a stable,
away from contact with other horses and people. It's a prison to them,
just like it would be to us. And one more thing. As soon as they come
out of that situation, they have a big urge to run all over, free as
the wind, specially young ones. That can make them a little hard to
control, then. They are not trying to be difficult, but are just being
what their nature makes them be. If we understand all those things, and
remember them, we can work with horses much better. Any questions about
what I've said so far?" There weren't.
We went into the stable. I said "Notice their ears move. Horses can
see almost all around them without moving their heads, so they don't
bother to move them to look at things very much. But, you can tell what
they are paying most attention to by the direction their ears are
pointing to. Right now, at me. One very important thing to remember, is
horses are easily startled, and by almost anything sudden. It can panic
them, and actually cause them to hurt themselves and people around
them, without meaning to. It can take a long time for them to calm
down. So, we try not to make sudden noises and movements around them.
When we talk nicely to them, they like the sound of our voices, even if
they don't know what we are saying. But they can learn a few words,
which would take a lot of work. The easiest word for them to learn is
their name. I named the one I road in the show. Grey!" He neighed, and
moved closer. I gave him an apple from my pocket. He loved it. I turned
around and said to the group, "They love sweet treats. Give them some,
and they will like you more. Well, just like people." Some laughter.
Grey nudged me in the back. I said "And just like people, they always
want more." More laughter.
I said "I had a horse kiss me, in my last life, when I was eleven.
That did not help my foot he was standing on. They can't usually see
where they put their feet, so he didn't know. It took me some effort to
get him to move, and then I fell onto a fresh pile of shit." They
laughed loudly. Some of the horses acted a little startled. I said "I
told you that story to show you how easy it is to startle a horse.
Please be careful. One more thing. Don't ever be angry at a horse. They
don't understand that, and it will just make things worse."
I said "Now, do you think the way we learned how to get along with
our bows, will work with horses?" They all agreed it would. I said
"There is something else. Bows don't have a brain. Horses do. You can
actually talk to them, and sometimes they might understand you a
little. Here's how, and it has worked with elephants. When you talk to
the horse with simple words about simple ideas, push your words from
your mind into their minds, and your feelings, too. Sometimes it might
actually help. When they get to know you, they WILL know how you feel,
and respond to it." We took Grey outside. I said "What's the most
important thing about riding a horse?" They didn't know. I said "Well,
how about not falling off?" They laughed. I said "Yes, it's a little
funny, until it happens to you, and it will, sooner or later. Some
people get injured. Some die. I did. But then, who wants to die in bed?
Unless it's just after, well, with your wife." They laughed. I said "A
saddle is very useful in keeping you on your horse. But in my life as a
Mongol, where we could be attacked at our camp at any moment, and were,
there wasn't always time to put a saddle on my horse, to ride into
battle." I grabbed Grey's mane, and jumped up onto his back. Then I did
some tricks on him, while were cantering around. Then I came back and
stopped in front of them and said, "In battle, with your hands on your
weapons, you can't control your horse with reins. So, we do it with our
whole body. We lean, and use the pressure of our knees, to signal the
horse to move how we want him to move. Srinoy, count off steps and
directions." He did, and the horse moved just like he said. I said
"This actually works better without a saddle between you and the horse,
but can with with a saddle, by using your weight a little more, and
your feet in the stirrups."
I took Grey back to the stable, and then I helped each student make
friends with the horses. After that, I said, "This is one way to make
friends with horses. There is another way. Anybody know?" I nodded to
Srinoy, who said, "You take care of them after you ride them. We always
do that ourselves, because it's the right thing to do, and the horse
wants us to." The nurse said "That's why you were in here grooming
Grey, instead of out there in the parade and celebration." I said "Yes.
We rode him, so he was our responsibility. If you love your horse, it's
not a job, but a privilege to take care of him, and he DOES know it.
Don't you, Grey?" He nodded. They were surprised. I said with a grin,
"I have to say he didn't actually agree with what I said, because he
couldn't understand that. But, he knew I was asking for agreement,
which he was very happy to give me." I stroked him.
I helped the students gear up the horses, and make adjustments, such
as the proper tightening of the cinch, and positioning of the stirrups.
Then we did some riding, with students helping each other. Then I
showed them knee and balance control, which they practiced. Then we did
some target practice with the bow on horseback, and they were surprised
how easy it was to learn. During a break, one mentioned that. I nodded
to Srinoy, who said "It's because you were led step by step to learn
the proper bow skills, before we got on the horses, so there was just a
little more to learn to shoot well from a horse. I am learning this
from Stephen. It isn't enough to know how to do something, to teach it
well. You have to know how to teach, which uses all different skills
and knowledge, and all his students, and there are a lot of them, think
Stephen is the best teacher who ever lived." I said "I wanted you to
tell them about teaching, yes, but not that last part. I don't think
there is a best teacher, or can be, except in individual situations.
All students are different, and so are teachers. It is best, when the
right kind of student has the right kind of teacher, which might not be
right in a different situation. We all should remember, there are no
teachers without students, and we all learn from everything and
everybody around us." Srinoy said, "All that is true. But so is what I
said. Who agrees with me?" They all did, and I chased after Srinoy with
tiger hands, while he was screeching, "Save me from that horrible
monster!" They didn't, and just laughed.
While that was still happening, the Monks came with lunch. They
explained to them what happened, and the Monks had problems hiding
their grins. Then it rained, and we led the horses back into the
stable, and finished eating. Then I said, "Now we groom the horses. No
more riding today, because it's going to rain for some hours, still."
We did that, and the Monks stayed to help. I had to show some of them,
and correct some others, but it was all done in less than an hour. Some
of the riders didn't want to leave their horses, and I thought that was
great. The Monks noticed my flow of love then.
We talked. One wanted to know about my elephant comment. I let Srinoy
tell them what happened. Some obviously didn't believe it. I said
"Neither Srinoy or I are able to lie." They didn't believe that,
either. The nurse said, "I believe them." He asked the Monks, "What do
you know of this?" The senior of them said, "They do not lie. We at the
Temple do not lie, but we are capable of it. They are not. They can't
lie." I said "I should explain. Remember what I told you about our
school? Part of that hard training is for our minds. We train to be
absolutely clear in our thinking. That means no hate, no prejudice, no
lying. If we lied, we would actually damage part of our minds, and that
would interfere with some of the unusual skills we have, which could
get us and other people killed. We do other work. What we are doing
here is a holiday for us." One asked, "What kind of work do you do?" I
said "We, and others from our school, hunt people who are like us who
misuse their abilities to abuse people. We take away their ability to
do that. Sometimes they fight. They do not win. They are people the law
cannot touch, or even understand. We can and do, therefore duty
requires that we do it. When we are not doing that, each of us does
other things, to bring what is good to the world. I made all the gear
and clothing. I'm an artist, and I do that, too. And I teach, which
some of you might have noticed." They laughed. I said "Srinoy plays the
piano better than anybody else in the world who is his age, and better
than most everybody else of any age, and he's improving. And we all
keep studying and practicing what we know." Srinoy said "He also
teaches the Way of The Buddha. I think you all knew that." They all
nodded.
I said "I planned this teaching to last two days. You were much
better students than I could have hoped for, so it ends a little early
today, the last day. The Temple will allow you to stay tonight, and one
more night if you need to, before you go home, those who have been
staying there. They don't know this yet, but will when our friends here
tell them. All the things I made for the show and teaching, I will be
giving to the museum, except the bows I gave you, which are yours
forever." One asked, "How can you tell the Temple what to do?" I nodded
to the Monks, who said, "Stephen is The Master Teacher. All good Abbots
and Temples will do as he requests, without question." Some noticed the
nurse nodding. They looked at him, and he said, "I knew, because not
even Abbots remember their past lives as much as he does. He asked me
to not share that, because he wanted to share friendship with us, as
equals. He IS our friend. Who here does not love him?" They all nodded.
I stood. Srinoy said, "Please stand, to know what love truly is, from
he who IS love." I hugged each one with all my love, and Srinoy and the
Monks helped them to sit down. The last of them was the nurse, who I
said to, so only he could hear, "Thank you very much for allowing me to
have the gift of friendship of all, and most of all, of you." Then
Srinoy and I bowed to all of them, but only the Monks had the presence
of mind to bow in return. Then we walked out into the rain. We noticed
that some noticed we didn't get wet. They didn't see our grins, or hear
Srinoy's giggle.
END Page
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Grant
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