That’s what I’ve been wondering ever since I read a review of Chris Mooney’s new book, The Republican Brain:  The Science of Why They Deny Science — and Reality.  Now, before you get in a tizzy over the subtitle, take a deep breath and think about horses grazing in a field.

There, that’s better, isn’t it?

If you’re a Conservative, you can relax, because despite the title of Mooney’s book, it looks like you and your horse are on the same page.  At least when it comes to amygdalas.

In case you didn’t know, the amydgala is where “the fight or flight reflex” is housed.  And while I can’t tell you how the relative size of the equine amygdala compares to ours (can someone enlighten me?), I can tell you that the equine amygdala as a percentage of cerebral volume is higher than that of a cow or a pig.

Horse Frightened by a Lion by George Stubbs, 1770

However, when it comes to Elephants and Donkeys, it’s even more enlightening.  It turns out that the amydgalas of Conservatives are bigger than those of Liberals.  The “startle reflexes” of Conservatives are also keener, it is said.

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My Yankee-Irish horsewhispering boyfriend subscribes to Harper’s.  The April issue arrived recently, and I came across it on the kitchen table.  The last page is the place where the feature called “Findings” regularly appears, and it’s my favorite part of the magazine.

For those unfamiliar with Harper’s Findings, they’re a lengthy list of interesting or amusing factoids.  Animals feature prominently and that makes it even better.  For example, this month, I learned that:

Caudal fin of the right whale

Since 9/11, the feces of right whales were found to have reduced levels of stress hormones.

Physicists can derive the shape of any ponytail using the Ponytail Shape Equation and the Rapunzel Number.  They’re talking about hair styles but I know this would work for real pony (or horse) tails.

People in China are less likely than residents of the UK to focus on the eyes when asked to evaluate the faces of sheep.

See why I like this page?  Where else will you find information like this?

This month’s Findings was (were?) even better than usual, because it (they?) displayed a triptych of photographs of flaxen manes against chestnut coats as a banner along the top of the page.  “Look! Horses!,” I exclaimed out loud when I saw it, but then I say the same thing when I’m driving through Millbrook and there’s someone in the car who might have missed the tenth pair in two miles.  Sometimes I’m still a little girl in love with horses.

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Do you think that if the eyes are the windows to the soul, we see our horse’s soul and our own reflected in our horse’s eyes?

Sometimes, doesn’t it just make you tired?

Sometimes, as a trainer, I find it difficult to pull off the balancing act that is part of my daily life.

Arthur and Pauline Coutts captured by George Caddy, 1939

I can give a horse or a rider the best I have to offer in the hour or so that I work with them.  I can be available by email or phone to answer questions or give support or provide suggestions.   But I’m just one influence among many and I have no control over what happens outside my watch.

Most of the time, I’m fine with that.  Other times, it’s harder.  If I think a rider or a horse is in danger, I will always say something.  But as an independent trainer, I often find myself a guest in other people’s barns alongside other people’s students and it’s part of my business to know what’s my business and what isn’t my business.

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In Fritz Lang’s 1953 film noir The Big Heat, gangster’s moll Gloria Grahame tells widow-of-crooked-cop Jeannette Nolan, “we’re sisters under the mink.”

I think that’s kind of what Ann Romney is telling us.  We’re sisters in the saddle.

It doesn’t matter that she doesn’t think of herself as wealthy, despite a net worth north of $250 million.  As she says, “it could be gone tomorrow.”

As Gloria Grahame also says in The Big Heat, “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor.  Believe me, rich is better!”

Whether you think of Ms. Romney as out of touch or on a higher spiritual plane, one thing is clear:  she loves to ride and she understands that when it comes to healing, there’s nothing better than a horse to cure what ails you.  As a breast cancer survivor diagnosed with MS more than a decade ago, she made a wise decision to return to horses after many years out of the saddle.

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It was only days ago that I was able to find out that I have readers from all over the globe.

That makes me a pretty happy and excited blogger!

It’s no surprise that most of my readership is here in the United States, but I’m delighted to discover that my second highest readership is from France.  Since French classical dressage is dear to me, and my first lessons in dressage were given to me in French, I guess we must be “speaking the same language,” as we say.  C’est merveilleux ca!  (c’est domage that I can’t find out how to add accents in WordPress!).

After France, it’s the UK, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and the Russian Federation, in that order.  Thank you, dank u, dankeschon, spasiba.

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This has been a busy month at reflectionsonriding.com.  It seems like just yesterday that I celebrated 5,000 hits…and now it’s over 10,000!  Some of that is due to George Ure picking up my blog post “When you’re down and out,” as an economic indicator on his own blog, www.urbansurvival.com.  I’m celebrating another milestone on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  Time for another happy dance!