Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being UNWILLING to LEARN!! As a trainer, instructor, lover of horses, rescuer, someone that finds the perfect person for that perfect horse, a dreamer, AND a realist...it TRULY bothers me when I see other professionals in my field become SO close minded to other disciplines, teaching methods, training ideas and especially...their fellow trainers, friends or clients. In this career...in this LIFE...you MUST keep an open mind. You MUST be willing to try new things even if theyre not what you do, to listen to what others have to say, to dream a little here and there but to be realistic about what it is youd like to accomplish or SEE accomplished. I have been BLESSED to work w some of THE most incredible trainers and instructors I could never have dreamed of working w. I have National AND World titles in several different disciplines and circuits and although they are not all my specialty...they certainly are special. Every new trainer, younger or much older, has always taught me SOMETHING. Whether it be something I know I DONT want to implement into my own methods or be it something that really might just work. I will NEVER become close minded, I will never choose one discipline over another to call the best, I will never talk down to those that know less than me...those that know more because I am intimidated...or those that do things differently. If someone, or the horse, is not being hurt by training methods used...I say game on, enjoy your work, remember your patience, remember your passion and most of all...NEVER FORGET that no matter WHO YOU ARE...you are NOT better then everyone. There is NO one way of doing things. There is no one discipline easier than the other and there is NO way someone w a close minded and ignorant view on the horse world and the way it runs will EVER be a genuinely GOOD horseman or horse woman...let alone someone that has to instill their knowledge unto others. So please, before you think of not listening to someone elses idea because it wasnt yours, talking poorly about another discipline or closing your mind and choosing ignorance...............remember you claim you are an instructor..a trainer..a person that TEACHES new horse people the way. Dont be scared if they stray from you, embrace them finding a new passion. Dont judge them for the discipline they choose to carry into, support them. And lastly, if you dont know HOW to abide by these pretty simple rules..........................you are NOT cut out to be a professional. Let along one that has to try to teach new minds. Heres some quotes w my absolute FAVORITE clinicians, trainers, judges, and instructors Ive had the pleasure of working w, training under, competing w or even just lessoning from time to time as well as taking a clinic or two!! PHILLIP DUTTON, 12-Time USEA Leading Rider of the Year and 5-Time Olympian with Two Gold Medals - “The general thought now is, or should be, that there is always another day! The rider should understand that sometimes, more training for your horse is necessary, and retiring [pulling up/changing a lesson] before more damage is done is a much better course of action than pushing your and your horse’s limits.” LINDA TELLINGTON-JONES, Founder of the Tellington Method Approach to Training and Communicating - “I feel strongly that the tenets of classical riding are imperative and pure, and there is no moving forward without conscientious attention paid to all that has been learned and proven in horsemanship’s past. However, move forward we must, with the intent of achieving something better in the decades ahead and a common goal of alleviating the prevalence of pain, anxiety, and depression in the wonderful, talented sport horses with whom we are so lucky to pursue our dreams.” BUCK BRANNAMAN, Renowned Horseman and Clinician - “Working horses is a little like being married. Sometimes you need to adjust and change your plan.” DOUGLAS PUTERBAUGH, Dressage Trainer and Clinician - “Centered riders understand the harmonious relationship between knowledge and achievement. They’re active participants in their own education, reading the writings of the masters, observing other riders, and seizing opportunities to train with someone good.” CLINTON ANDERSON, Internationally Recognized Horseman and Clinician - “Horsemanship should be fun. By learning how to control your horse in any situation, your confidence will greatly increase. When you’re confident, you can relax and enjoy your partnership.” DENNY EMERSON, USEA Hall of Fame Inductee and “One of the 50 Most Influential Horseman of the 20th Century” - “The only thing that each of us can guarantee is that we are prepared to take advantage of opportunities if they happen to come our way. Even when opportunity doesn’t drop out of the sky into our lap, we still need to be ready. In other words, the preparedness part is up to us.” PAUL BELASIK, Rider, Trainer, Author, and Proponent of Classical Equestrian Ideals - “You can watch wild horses for a whole day and nothing astounding may happen. They graze, they drink, they seem to meander without obvious direction. It is all subtlety….When we do it right, there won’t be much drama. You learn to increase your attention and you train your mind to let more information to you….You learn to have more patience, you learn to watch, and you learn to let it come to you. To train horses well you have to learn to observe subtleties.” SEAN PATRICK, Horseman and Clinician - “Never assume a horse remembers anything from one day to the next. Check his responses and use previous lessons as warm-up exercises before trying to advance to something new.” FREDERIC PIGNON and MAGALI DELGADO, Renowned Trainers and the Original Stars of Cavalia - “We all make mistakes and by doing so we discover something about our limitations, but if someone or some horse suffers from these mistakes, then we must do our utmost not to repeat them. May every rider strive for a better connection with his or her horse by observation, closer understanding, and patient groundwork. It matters not what discipline is pursued, only that there be a perfectly balanced union between the two—man and horse—so the two become one.” LYNN PALM, A pioneer among women in the equine industry with 5 Super Horse Championships, 34 World titles and the list continues - There is NO substitute for time and patience when training a horse. This stands the same for any good instructor or trainer. Good trainers know how to let a student, horse or human, move on. Good trainers keep an open mind and always continue to learn from their mentors, both horse and human.
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 06:53:33 +0000
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