4 Summer 2011 Applegater
Practicing natural horsemanship
By DeLLa meRRiLL
Rogue is an eight-year-old quarter-
horse mare. Her wide eyes, often rimmed
in white, reflect the abuse of her past.
Rogue lived knee-deep in manure and
mud and was barely alive when she
was rescued and brought to Sanctuary
One. Her foal did not survive the
filthy and starving conditions and was
found dead when authorities arrived.
I met Rogue on one of my first
visits to Sanctuary One. Her ribs poked
through the sides of her skin, her coat
was dull and dirty, and the terror in
her eyes told me all I needed to know
about her past experience with humans.
Sanctuary One is about healing—
humans, animals and the earth. We
practice natural horsemanship as a way
to heal the rescued horses, to regain their
trust in humans and to rebuild their
confidence in the world. This approach
also teaches us life lessons that go beyond
the horse-human connection. The
importance of practicing love, language
and leadership, all in equal doses for
example, as well as taking responsibility
for our actions, controlling our emotions
and practicing patience and persistence.
I understand Rogue needs love,
but just as importantly she needs for
me to understand her language and be
the leader she innately requires. Loving
a thousand-pound animal without a
balance of leadership and the ability
to understand it leads to dangerous
situations. Horses are herd animals that
need a leader to feel safe. If their human
is not a strong leader, the horse will take
over, becoming pushy, obstinate, even
threatening. Likewise, in order to be the
effective leader she needs, I need to learn
and understand her equine language.
Knowing how horses communicate
through body language is essential.
Taking responsibility for how
Rogue reacts rather than blaming her is a
huge life lesson for me. When things don’t
go the way I expect, instead of blaming her
and wondering why she is doing that, I ask
myself, “What can I do differently?” It is
common to find fault in others rather than
taking personal responsibility and looking
at how our own actions have had an impact.
Horses often mirror our intent and
energy. If I get frustrated or angry, it only
serves to drive Rogue away and causes
her to distrust me. Anger and frustration
also closes me down to the gifts that
are presented in the moment. Natural
horsemanship reminds us that if the horse
Rogue today.
me as a source of comfort and safety and
then begins to choose to come to me when
I want her? It might take longer for this to
happen, but the results are lasting and real.
Today Rogue is a different horse.
Her coat is shiny, she has filled out and
is healthy and robust, and her eyes are
often soft and inquisitive. She has a long
way to go, but each day she trusts a little
more and fears a little less. Rogue reminds
us of our responsibilities as caretakers,
to never forget to take responsibility for
our actions, to be ever-mindful of our
emotions, and to take the time needed to
achieve goals worth achieving. She also
reminds us of the importance of practicing
a balance of love, language and leadership.
Della Merrill • 541-858-3304
People Care Manager
Sanctuary One
Rogue when adopted.
RUTH
Besides working for the Applegater, she
also worked for the Forest Service in Ruch
providing visitor information, and was a
caregiver.
She is survived by her three
children and eight grandchildren, all of
whom greatly miss her.
J.D. Rogers and the
Applegater Board of Directors
FROM PAGE 1
a granddaughter’s Remembrance
It is impossible for me to reflect on
any stage of my childhood without being
reminded of Nana. She spent endless
hours caring for me as both a grandmother
and a friend. She made immense efforts to
engage me in my early years, sharing with
me her seamless patience and compassion
for all living creatures. When I was young,
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is doing the opposite of what we are asking,
it’s most likely because of how we are asking,
not because the horse is intentionally trying
to make us angry. So a key to succeeding
with Rogue is controlling my emotions,
looking at feelings of frustration and anger
as an opportunity to learn something
new, to try something different, to ask
myself; “What am I doing in the way
I’m communicating that isn’t working?”
Practicing patience and persistence,
in other words, taking the time it takes to
achieve a goal, is also an important life
lesson as well as an important practice in
natural horsemanship. It might be faster
to corner Rogue in order to catch her but
what about taking the time to create a
trusting relationship where she starts to see
I loved nothing more than rummaging
through Nana’s closet and prancing around
in her oversized shoes, dresses and hats.
Nana was always there beside me, grabbing
what I couldn’t reach and playing the eager
audience to my retro fashion show. Once,
I decided it would be fun to dress up her
German shepherd, Sable. Nana, who was
probably enjoying my childish excitement
at this prospect, voiced no objections. She
just kept laughing with me; even when
Sable ran after a squirrel into the wet brush,
ruining a pink scarf and nightie. Nana was
truly young at heart. She and I shared a
mosaic of adventures. Whether we were
gardening, enjoying picnics, attending
parades, or just running errands, Nana
ensured that I was always learning and
always having fun. Wisdom and altruism
were the defining traits of Nana’s character,
and I feel blessed to have had her friendship
and guidance.
Sara Austin
541-218-5998
Photo above: Ruth served in the Coast Guard
as Second Class Radio Man. (The words
“Radio Woman” weren’t in the Coast Guard’s
vocabulary in those days.)
Photo, far left (from left to right): Ruth, her
sister Grace, and friends Vandy and Shirley in
Washington, D.C. in 1944.