Embodied Communication, Sensed Atmospheres, Joint Situations: Human-Horse Encounters from a Neophenomenological...

This article shows that the German philosopher Hermann Schmitz's new phenomenology can make a valuable contribution to human-animal studies. The three concepts suitable for this purpose are, first, Schmitz's concept of embodied communication, which can be applied to trans-species encounters; second, his understanding of atmospheres, which are always co-communicated in trans-species encounters; and, third, his conception of situation, which can help with analyzing the relationship of society to animals. My contribution applies these three basic elements of new phenomenology-embodied communication, atmosphere, and situation-to the analysis of the encounters between humans and horses. This paper demonstrates that embodied communication in particular is not only a worthwhile object of research but can also serve as a mode of producing scientific insight.