September 18, 2004

• Notes from the Garden Journal

  
  

   

  
  

  INTELLIGENT EDEN

  
  

   

  
  

   

  
  

  

  
  

   

  
  

  We live in a fallen world; there is no doubt as you look around. It’s everywhere. We kill, we fall short of our dreams, others’ dreams. We struggle, we cry and in the end we simply die.

  
  

   

  
  

  But it’s not just mankind who suffers this shortened, slightly greyer, overcast life and struggles to find a place along with some meaning and perhaps a few sunny days. From the fish to the birds, to the bears and your pet dog Reginald, it is one pursuit common to all living things.

  
  

   

  
  

  Now before I go on, let me first explain. I am a realist. We are where we are and we must make the best of it. In the world in which we live sometimes we must hunt and push out against the life-interests of other creatures – and even unreasonable ones among us – in order to survive. We do it, every creature on earth does it. Sometimes, in some countries, the family pet must starve in order that the family child does not. This life includes some tough choices. In it good men must go to war because evil men have chosen to make war on them and their survival. That is the real world where we spend our days. Here we don’t always get all of our needs met and the ones whose needs we so delight in meeting go away much too quickly for our liking. They go away and then often we sit in silence until we can finally see them again. And this is how it has been for our grand parents, as well as theirs and theirs before them.

  
  

   

  
  

  During my time here on earth and my amazement with the stunning manner of creation’s way, I’ve always been fascinated and awed by the intelligence and sophistication of the creatures who don’t drive cars and send e-mail, the animals. It, I suppose is partly because I’ve always preferred to notice the hidden greatness, as well as the hidden lessons, so many overlook to their misfortune. Yet I think mostly it is in a belief that in another time, man would have partnered with these creatures in a symbiotic way that would have made slime molds jealous.

  
  

   

  
  

  Sometimes I sit and wonder what a fly would do, for example, in a perfect world (nose tickler, entertainer of children maybe?) or what a mosquito might do to pass the hours (there are no welfare checks in Eden, after all, but neither would there be allowed itchy biters in Eden). Perhaps our present-day annoying mosquito would instead help tend wounds with a healing compound as he found his nourishment from the tissue that needed to be cleared away. A bit Flinstonian, you say? Perhaps, but I believe everything has a purpose and if you accept the notion of Eden, you must then also accept the notion of reassignment.

  
  

   

  
  

  What science is currently learning however about all animals great and small is that they are far more intelligent than we’ve previously understood – at least in the modern era. Further, there is a great deal more to their personal make-up, which at times gives them a complexity that’s even worlds above our own. From the amoeba to the bee to the black bird to the octopus, these animals were once thought to be among the simpler life forms on our planet. Now we know instead they are infinitely complex in their culture, their thoughts and physical composition.

  
  

   

  
  

  

  
  

   

  
  

  I recently found out about an organization called the Equine Research Foundation. They are a group of people whose purpose is to work together to “further scientific and public knowledge about equine learning abilities, perception, behavior, training, care and welfare and, thereby, improve human/horse interactions” using “noninvasive and positive reinforcement” techniques. The Aptos, California-based camp maintains several horses, trainers, care-takes and interns all with the goal to find out just what maximizes the horse’s mental, emotional and physical potential as an autonomous creature, lending themselves to recent studies like one, for example, which recently aired on Animal Planet and placed the horse 7^th out of the top 10 most intelligent in the animal kingdom, not counting man, of course.

  
  

   

  
  

  
  

  Dogs, by contrast, who scored 10^th, were shown to in fact be much smarter even than previously thought, with an adult cognitive ability close to that of a 3 year old human child in many aspects, yet typically able to grasp over 500 words in the human spoken language.

  
  

   

  
  

  

  
  

  Horses, can read, recognize and conceptualize different shapes, drawings and abstract concepts that one might find on a standard IQ test, and associate them successfully. Horses have also been shown able to do basic math, as also with dogs, but have a long-term memory equal to that of the elephant – something we all strive for.

  
  

   

  
  

  In my own experiences with horses, I have seen them unlock gates and doors, deliberately manipulate light switches, radios and other devices, work out complex puzzles and adapt far more quickly to alien situations than would an adult human in an equally alien and chaotic surrounding. I have also seen that horses will often imitate what they see a trusted human perform. With my horse “Chevy”, I would say that about half of the objects he learned to manipulate he did alone and by trial and error. But the other half he simply learned by watching me first and then imitating. In this manner for example, he would discover how (and why) to turn on a water spigot or a light switch, unlock a padlock that had its key left in it, drink from a straw, eat with a spoon or a fork or even play a piano (albeit, not Chopin).

  
  

   

  
  

  But I have also seen these majestic creatures emote everything from sadness, even crying and mourning to happy surprise and literally squealing with delight (imagine “Flipper”). I have witnessed a full range of emotions common to the human experience be part of the horse’s life, usually expressed in a far healthier manner than by humans today in many cultures. I have seen their empathy, too: I have cried in their presence, only to be suddenly met with a gentle touch to the face, large almond eyes watching mine. How can a mighty, fiery-maned 1,200 lbs animal who can so fiercely devour the earth at 40 miles per hour be more tender than often our own kind is taught to be? Where in evolution was this developed, amidst the grazing and tearing at grass or the running from predators?

  
  

   

  
  

  

  
  

  I have become convinced that these and all animals are more than just the life forms we find here surrounding us, milling and flapping about by chance. But rather they are angels from a better time and place given to us to teach us about ourselves and reminding us to be humble. As if a carry-over from a peaceful world where everything fits together and there are no tears or death, I’m sure these creatures too long for that place again, because none of us can ever be what we were truly made to be until such a place is found. Meanwhile I hope we can all make the best of this imperfect time we presently find ourselves in by enjoying and learning what we can from our funny-looking companions as we also serve and teach to them the helpful things we know. We can gain much from just simply slowing down our lives, listening to the rhythm of the real world around us and taking note of the “words” and philosophies of the horse, the puppy, the frog and the cardinal. If we listen, they are speaking to us the eternal songs and lessons of life, the way of things if you will, and from that I scarcely doubt we will better understand ourselves except to also better know their Creator.

  
  

   

  
  

  This is something which is often lost on our distracted, urban generation and there is a price to be paid, a big one in a personal and a bigger sense, for it. We live in a fallen world; there is no doubt as you look around. It’s everywhere. We kill, we fall short of our dreams, others’ dreams. We struggle, we cry and in the end we simply die.

  
  

   

  
  

  They are truly the golden ones that are left in between from that once-perfect, once seamless and intelligent Eden, who remind us of whence we go.

  
  

   

  
  

   

  
  

   

  
  

  

  
  

   

  
  

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  Related:

  
  

  The Equine Research Foundation

  
  

   

  
  

  Exploring the Equine Mind: Researchers Study Cognitive Abilities of Horses

  
  

   

  
  

  Testing Equine Intelligence

  
  

   

  
  

  The Brain under the Mane

  
  

   

  
  

   

  
  

   

  • 4:19 am
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