Thursday, October 09, 2008

Please Don't Blame The Horse


Something that weighs heavy on my mind is when riders fail to see the opportunity to learn that their horse is giving them.  I don't like to see a rider frustrated with a horse that will not perform well because of rider error. 

I like to think of myself as the horse's advocate. Of course horses make mistakes, but they really only make mistakes because they are mirroring their rider...

If you can't get your horse to turn, lope, balance or whatever try and find a new way to communicate with the horse what you want.  Be a problem solver and find a way to remedy the situation.

There are times when horses are misbehaving, but then again if they are misbehaving it is because of their own ignorance and lack of training. Why is the horse's training lacking? Because a human has not trained him thoroughly.

Horses cannot speak with words so we must listen to their actions. 
Be the leader, but a good leader always listens to the needs of others. I'm not saying let the horse grab a bite of grass while riding, no way! But if your horse won't turn, maybe it is you not cueing him correctly.

One more thought I would like to leave with you, every horse can teach you something, because horses are the best teachers.

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