During the decades that I have been doing readings for humans and animals, I have been constantly amazed and touched by the love that so many people have felt for their horses and by their desire to communicate at a deeper and more loving level that is not limited to a small vocabulary of instructions and physical cues. I have been asked countless times to teach others to do what I do. I'm not sure that what I do will bring the same results for others, but I feel that everyone has the potential for communicating with his or her horses and other animal friends.

There are so many benefits to be derived from the communication between humans and their animals that it's definitely worth the effort -- and it's fun!

I've attempted to remove the spiritual aspect from my thoughts of what I do and why I do it but have found it to be impossible. To divorce the process from spirituality would be like trying to have a horse show without horses! Having said that, however, I will refrain from recounting tales of my personal spiritual search and development and go directly to describing the process I use and some of the results I've had. I am confident that your desire to communicate with animals stems from your awareness of Oneness in the Universe and the desires of your loving heart.

I have found there to be three essential states of mind to successfully communicate with animals:

• Focus
• Intention
• Desire

The first of these three states of mind, focus, I consider to be most essential to the process. Rarely do I "tune in", as I call connecting with the horse, in the presence of the animal. While I can, and have, with perfectly satisfactory results, needing to be present would severely limit the number of horse/human partnerships I can serve. For the neophyte communicator I believe the presence of the horse, primarily because of his surroundings which may include other people and animals, has the potential to be a distraction.

Initially I would suggest that you work toward achieving focus by sitting in a quiet, comfortable spot where you are unlikely to be disturbed. Seeking a feeling of mental clarity, turn your thoughts upward or inward to your idea of "spirit" or divinity. For some of you that may be a picture of God, for others perhaps your Higher Self, Guardian Angel, or Universal Intelligence (which I imagine as a band of light surrounding the earth).

You may wonder what this has to do with talking with your horse so I will digress momentarily to explain. Very often questions we have for our horses have to do with physical pain or soreness, or training issues. Obviously, these are important concerns because our relationships with our horses generally center around the riding experiences we share with them. Asking your horses where he feels soreness or pain, for example, can be helpful but limited in its benefits. Asking him how to address the problem medically is expecting from him, as a "personality" in horse body, to have knowledge he doesn't possess - just as asking you where you feel pain doesn't necessarily mean you can tell me why and what to do about it. However, what I will loosely but lovingly call Guidance can provide information that is beyond your horse's awareness. You may feel quite content to just talk to your horse and follow up on what he tells you with your own ideas of treatment or a consultation with your vet. As a reader for others, I wouldn't feel I was honoring my commitment to help horses and humans who love them if I limited myself to simply asking the animal without the benefit of Higher Guidance. (I am not in any way suggesting that Guidance should replace veterinary care. However, it can facilitate your and your veterinarian's understanding. Many human physicians work with medical intuitives which leads me to believe/hope that many veterinarians do also.)

The same explanation holds true for training issues. Your horse may very well be able to tell you that he feels panic stricken when you pick up the reins. He may not remember that the fear began when his first rider took a death grip on his mouth, and he's been claustrophobic and terrified of expected pain ever since. Guidance can give you the details of causes and solutions that can facilitate your progress immensely. Many foals carry memories, fears, and physical problems with them from early accidents, or how they were carried in utero, etc., without any conscious awareness in the more mature horses with whom you are now working.

In any case, whether you would like to seek Higher Guidance or just talk and listen to your horses, focus is essential.

Intention and desire are the other two essentials. Know that this can be done and that you can do it. It can, and you can!

I saw a television program recently on which a very successful comedian was being interviewed. The interviewer asked the comedian when he got his break (after working four years as a waiter while trying to break into the stand-up comedy business.) The comedian replied that he didn't get a break. The interviewer logically said, "Well, you're no longer a waiter....." The comedian paused for a moment with a "light bulb" expression and then said, "My break came when I decided, "I am absolutely doing this." With that kind of commitment and confidence, you can absolutely do this.

Okay, so there you are sitting in your quiet place, focusing on feeling your clear mind and higher energy, patiently waiting for me to catch up to you.

Imagine your horse is there in your mind's eye. Perhaps you will see just his head, or maybe his whole body. You might just sense his presence with no clear picture. Hold him there until he starts to feel or look alive. Perhaps you will see the individual hairs on his muzzle, see the light in his eyes, or feel him breathing. When he feels alive and present, ask him a question. Then just wait for his answer. It doesn't matter if you feel as if you are just imagining his answer. Imagination is how we communicate with spirit and how we create.

When doing readings for others, I do not necessarily know what the horse looks like. Sometimes I don't know his name. So my 'tuning' process may involve just saying the horse's name or saying something like, 'I would like to communicate with the gelding Mary Jones asked me to inquire about.' The Universe knows who we mean!

Sometimes I hear the answer - not with my ears but the way you 'hear' your own thoughts in your mind. Other times the answer comes through holistically rather than in a stream of thoughts expressed through words. When that happens, it is my job to explain in words the holistic understanding. Other times I may receive pictures. Often when I ask horses where they are sore, they turn into cartoon-like figures with rubbery legs that can point anywhere on their bodies. Sometimes sore areas light up or seem to radiate soreness in my mental picture. As I mentioned, I don't feel content to stop with the information directly from the horse and always seek Higher Guidance for clarification regarding causes and cures. Your results will suit you and be a reflection of how you most effectively process information.

There are naturally two sides to communicating with your horse - listening to him and talking to him. I would recommend choosing one or the other as your primary focus in your first session. Just the fact that you desire to communicate can sometimes work wonders for animals.

Very often when I am asked to communicate with an animal who exhibits behavioral problems, immediately after the reading, before the human has had an opportunity to implement any of the suggestions, there is marked improved in the horse. I receive phone calls or e-mail from amazed owners who say things like, "She's a different horse! What did you tell her?" Generally, I haven't told her anything. I have simply listened. Animals have so few opportunities to be heard and understood. Many are so grateful that people care enough to listen, that they can let go of their "issues" out of pure relief. When they have an opportunity to talk about their concerns, desires, and feelings, they feel loved! Because of this repeated experience, I would vote in favor of listening to your horses rather than talking to them, at least initially. We talk to them a lot, but we seldom listen. You can, of course, respond to their comments during your "tuning in" session.

When you feel that communication has become real and relatively easy for both of you, you can have a wonderful time making suggestions and requests and watching your pets' outer behavior to see that they have understood your communication.

In another article I would like to tell you about some of the wonderful results and fun experiences I've had with communicating with animals and give you some suggestions for playing with your horses on this level.

About the Author:

Using her years of training and experience reading for people and animals, Susan "tunes in" to your horse to facilitate a conversation between the animal and you. Horses are eager to share with people; often just being given the opportunity to be heard makes a positive difference in the animal's behavior, even before the owner begins to implement the suggestions given in the reading. A reading can bring human and horse greater happiness, trust, and creative solutions to problems they may have.

With Susan's readings, opportunities abound to bring new light to training and caring for your horses. Her intention is to make the training process successful by helping you to understand your horse's perspective - what might be bothering him, what he enjoys most, something he might find puzzling, how a different approach might make your desires clearer. By bringing owner and horse together in loving and enlightened communication, Susan hopes to facilitate a deeper bond and greater joy for both. Readings can be used to discuss training, nutrition, performance, or any other topics of interest.

A graduate of Integrated Awareness Training, Susan Travis is an accomplished spiritual guidance channel who has been reading for people and animals for more than 20 years. Her academic achievements include an MBA in Finance and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. In addition, Susan is a Master of Reiki Practitioner and a registered Minister in the Order of Melchizedek. Her background enables her to readily consult her spirit guides with the intent of being a healing instrument in the lives of those who seek her personal assistance.

Susan lives with her husband and, currently, 15 horses on their farm in Conesus, New York, where they raise Paints and sell saddle horses of all breeds. She has had horses for over 25 years, which has prompted her deep desire to make their lives more satisfying and joyful.