True Horsemanship
Horses often find their way to me after being traumatized or handled incorrectly. The owners are confused and comment about their trainer, saying”well he has worked with horses his entire life.”
My grandmother, a wonderful horsewoman, would respond, “that person may have ridden badly his entire life. By that same token we would logically have to conclude that a man is bound to be a good doctor, a good lawyer, a good cook simply because he has performed these tasks for years. However, we know from bitter experience that the doctor may have been killing patients, the lawyer losing cases and the cook distributing indigestion throughout their careers.”
I am a strong advocate for the well being of the horse. As a result I spend considerable time educating people as to how horses think and learn. It astounds me that trainers still believe “beating” a horse into submission is the answer. Always remember that each horse is an individual and must be treated as such. And as my grandmother would say, if the horse misunderstands what you are asking, pause, smile, ask clearly again and you will almost always be rewarded with the desired result.
If you are confused or unsuccessful in your current training situation, ask around and find someone to help you move forward. There are many roads to Rome, you simply have to select the one that suits you best.