Old School Philosophy for Modern Day Horsepeople


Warren Bengston has a heart for horses and people. He's spent 42 years as a farrier, 3 years breaking horses, and 10 years as a missionary to the Ojibwe Indians. You will find pieces from each part of his diverse background interwoven into the fabric of his writings.

The Wonder of Metamorphosis


Butterflies Everywhere


I am fully aware that my mention of the Bible and Christianity will be offensive to some readers. What I have to say about horses is offensive to some. That is the nature of deep conviction. In either case, it is not my intention to throw anything in anybody’s face, but to simply share what I regard to be the truth. Clear messages will always be divisive, and I can live with that. In that light, I submit the following for your consideration.
In his book The Holiest of All, Andrew Murray makes a statement that is pivotal in the life of the Christian believer. I quote: “The perfection of Christ, as truth revealed, becomes the perfection of the believer, as a life experienced, in those who count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus as Lord.”
I have a profound respect for this man for the balance and clarity with which he views the Bible. His depth is simple and his simplicity is deep. I heartily recommend his writings to the serious Christian. There are precious few Christian writers who have not caved in to cultural relevance, theological extremes, or social agendas. This man is a shepherd who really cares for the sheep and always points them to the Good Shepherd, not to himself or his favorite doctrine or agenda.
While Murray’s topic is infinitely more important than ours, nevertheless it will serve us well as a basis for this discussion.
Who has not watched a butterfly or moth with wonder and amazement as it works its way erratically through the air, fulfilling both design and destiny. It is interesting that the beauty of the butterfly originated from a creepy, crawly caterpillar. This is due to an amazing transfer of life and form that we call metamorphosis.
Bear with my crudeness for a moment as we examine a source of great hope and encouragement for us horse owners. We start out on this horse-human journey as worms—some of us uglier than others. However, deep in the DNA of the worm is a butterfly that is going to be able to be and do much more than the worm that contains it.
When we learn, the caterpillar is eating. As we learn, we are constructing a philosophy and establishing a belief system. However, that is not enough. Our knowledge and understanding must come to life. It is in the cocoon that what we have learned starts to transform the worm into a butterfly.
The cocoon simply represents the pause that gives us a chance to process and then act on information we have received. We also give our horses cocoon time to process and assimilate the information we just gave them. Those pauses can range from a few seconds to minutes or hours, depending on the issue involved.
Cocoon time is not time wasted time; it is necessary for transformation. In a very real way, every problem or issue we struggle with is a butterfly hiding in a worm. The same can be said for our horses. That’s a lot of worms, but they are not going to be worms forever if we hold fast the hope and allow this transfer of life we call metamorphosis to take place.
So, we are learning by information and experience, but that learning will never reach its potential without a powerful focus and dedication to worm time, cocoon time, and ultimately flying time. It is a vision of hope and encouragement without which the cocoon becomes a grave instead of a mechanism of birth and life.
Whenever there is a difference of opinion between a horse and his handler, we are faced with feeding the worm or poisoning it. If we feed it (give our horse clear and relevant information), we are providing what is needed for cocoon time (processing and assimilating the information) and then we watch the actual response we are looking for. If you have not yet watched worms turn into butterflies in the mind of your horse, you are in for a real treat.
When we rightly engage our horses, we will see three basic worm types that will come in various shapes and colors. They are fear, defiance, and confusion. These worms will be found crawling on horses and their people. That mental image is only creepy if you don’t believe in butterflies. When you know that each worm can be and should be sent into a cocoon for transformation, you don’t mind waiting for the butterfly to mysteriously emerge and just as mysteriously take on the freedom of flight.
How, then, do we send the caterpillar of fear into the cocoon for transformation? By showing the horse, in increments he can process, that what he fears is not really a threat. This can be done either by riding or leading the horse to the point of apprehension and then riding or leading him away from the object of his fear and returning over and over, coming a little closer each time. Some horses may do better by asking them to face the feared object, not allowing them to turn away, and gently encouraging them to approach the object as they realize their fears are unfounded. If we get too pushy with this, a horse’s fears will be compounded to the degree that he won’t be able to spin a cocoon—without which there will be no butterfly.
How do we send that caterpillar of defiance into the cocoon? By carefully arranging circumstances that take all the fun out of the defiance or disobedience. Thoughtful and deliberate defiance is best dealt with punitively and quickly. Defiance based in fear or confusion can be dealt with by encouraging or allowing that defiance in a controlled way that doesn’t allow the horse to achieve his goal. As a result he quits his foolishness because it is getting him nowhere.
How do we send caterpillar of confusion into the cocoon? By simply returning to something the horse is familiar with, thereby recapturing success and clarity, and then incrementally coming back to the troubling issue until it is resolved.
There is another side to all of this. The caterpillar, cocoon, and butterfly represent stages that we can get stuck in. It is not unusual for a novice horse owner to get stuck in caterpillar thinking. This person has visions of butterfly life, but for various reasons sees it as an impossible dream. This person sees cocoon time as wasted time, assuming that if he or she “loves” the horse and just thinks positively, the caterpillar will simply sprout wings and fly away.
What this person doesn’t realize is that caterpillars with wings aren’t real butterflies. The problem is, they just might get off the ground a little, thereby validating their self-deception. If you had your choice, would you want to be a caterpillar with wings and live on the edge of crashing and burning, or would you rather be a real butterfly with unlimited flight possibilities? The first is shallow, quick, and destined for failure. The second is the result of a caterpillar that welcomes and embraces the cocoon. Blood, sweat, and tears powered by a hunger to learn are the materials of this cocoon.
When horse owners get stuck, they are like the caterpillar that uses the cocoon as a place to hide instead of a place to develop. Real or imagined behavior issues intimidate them and then become excuses to hide in the cocoon. Stagnation and despair are their lot instead of the transformation that they really want. Cocoon mentality is not the same as the process of metamorphosis that produces beautiful butterflies.
Then there is a butterfly mentality. That is a caterpillar that believes it is already a butterfly. This person latches on to a dreamy, emotional, and sometimes psychic type of thinking. This always includes a total disregard for the simple and primal characteristics of the horse. Now, if the horse is to be a pasture ornament, then dreamy will suffice (until the vet or farrier shows up).
Fight or flight, dominance or submission, cause and effect are the natural characteristics of horses. In their world, the unwanted is attacked and the good is ignored. When we deal with a horse in a way that is philosophically different than his nature, we send him into the cocoon for an unnecessarily long time. We keep him there until he finally starts to catch on to a completely foreign way of thinking and then we say, “See, it pays to be patient.” We have deceived ourselves into thinking that our patience did wonders, but the truth is, the horse struggled until he finally found his way out of the cocoon.
If, on the other hand, we handle our horses with the clarity and simplicity of the herd, the transition from caterpillar to butterfly will happen naturally and without undue struggle. Because of the individual uniqueness of both horse and human, it will be a mistake to make close comparisons with other horses or humans. While the caterpillar-cocoon-butterfly stage will all have their variables, one thing is not variable and that is that they are all necessary. One is no more important than the other, just as an egg is not an egg without shell, white, and yoke.
What is the most important part of your house—foundations, rooms, or roof? The foundation provides stability, the rooms give us a place to live, and the roof protects it all. While all three are necessary, they have a sequence in construction. I suppose the natural sequence could be changed, but look at the unnecessary time and struggle that would create to complete the house. The common or natural way of building a house is a sort of metamorphosis from foundation to roof as assorted materials actually become a home.
There has to be a metamorphosis in our minds that changes information received into a life that can be lived. The burden is on us to embrace this transformation itself and then make it as simple and as clear as possible for our horse to join us in this metamorphosis.
If you are a Christian, the metamorphosis (transformation) God has called you to is only possible by allowing His Spirit to be the enabling power and His Word to be our only source of truth (information). However, it is only available to those who have forsaken or are learning to forsake the attractions of this world and have fixed their eyes on Jesus as the author and finisher of their faith.
If you are not a Christian, I would like to introduce you to Him who is the way, the truth, and the life. Without Him you cannot know the God of the Bible or have the hope of eternal life.
In our lives with our horses and in our Christianity, let us be butterflies and not just worms with wings.
"For what it's worth..."

Warren Bengston

Other Warren Bengston Articles

It's a Shame Intentions and Actions
Why can't I pick up my horse's feet? Power Lost, Power Gained
Poison in the Cup The LBD Syndrome
Horse Handling What do you Believe?
Pain in the Process = Joy in the Journey Is it Legal to be Young?

note: This is a new addition to our website. We would be interested in your opinion about Warren's writings. If you would like to express your views, please do so by emailing:
The Webmaster