What makes you tick? How about your horse?

As we move through life, striving to improve and grow, a key portion of this is finding out what motivates us to achieve our best.  In our relationship with our horses, we also need to find out what motivates them.  How do they learn best?  Are they sensitive, “thinking” types, easily bored? Do they question everything we ask them to do?  Are they good-natured, willing to comply with anything within reason that we ask of them?  Do they need to think about a request, take time to absorb it, before they can comply?  And there are many more ways to learn, especially when you put different riders and trainers into the equation.   

In my barn, I have four horses, each with one of the learning styles I mentioned above.  I have to approach work time with each of them differently.  The sensitive thinker is happiest with doing something different all the time, keeping him happy and engaged.  My just-for-fun horse will do anything, really, and will babysit anyone on his back, including my three-year-old grandson.  Another is sensitive in his own way, needing time to  process information before I ask again, and gets confused if asked again too quickly.  And the mare questions everything!  She should really have one of those question mark cartoon bubbles over her head, permanently.  

None of these styles is necessarily any easier than the others—it all depends on us, our personalities, and how we approach our ride time.  I’ve found that I need to be completely relaxed, have all the time in the world, for Mr. Sensitive Thinker.  If I’m in a hurry, he gets stressed out.  If I’m tense, he is exponentially tense. Of course, tension in us affects them all, but some of them hide it better than others. Mr. Easy-Going is my relaxation ride, but he doesn’t like to be taken for granted just because he is easy-going.  Mr. Processor shuts down if nagged at.  He will just give the minimum effort to get by.  And Ms. Questioner needs to be asked, not told, to do anything.   Try to force a situation with her and she will never forget it.  

Essentially, I have to be four different riders with these four different horses, although the base line is the same: relaxed, focused, listening.  These are my basic tools in my tool kit.  Then I pull out others as I need them, depending on which horse I am working with.  It’s made me a better, more well-rounded horse person.  

What does your horse want YOU to know about how he learns? And what does he want you to know about how YOU learn, to be the best partner you can be for him?

Spring in VT

Ahh, yes...this is the weather we’ve all been waiting for!  Sunny, 70 degrees, nice breeze, puffy clouds but not too many!  What are you going to doto get out and enjoy it?  Just  had a lovely ride on Sid, found a new trail in the woods that seems to go on forever....wish the weather would do the same!

Give yourself a treat....take back some time for yourself, and get out there for a walk, ride your horse, go sit by the river, get a lawn chair out of hibernation, but get out there!  These days are  gems!

Inspiration

Looking for inspiration in your life?  Here are three things that come to mind for me, right off the top of my head.

First, watch the movie “Temple Grandin”.  It is the story of a truly amazing woman, who has autism, but that assumed “disability” enables her to think in pictures (her words), the way animals do.  I’m not doing her story justice, I know—so watch the movie, or read one of her books.  

Also, because I am fresh back from the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, I am still thinking about that a lot.  It was won by Mary King of Great Britain, riding the lovely King’s Temptress, a mare that Mary bred, raised and trained herself.  Mary also took second place, on the gorgeous gray Fernhill Urco.  First and Second place both?  Unheard of!  Unprecedented!  Mary is no spring chicken, either—she is 49 years old. Oh wait, that’s how old I am!

 Third place went to Sinead Halpin, who has NEVER competed at Rolex before, and her horse Manoir de Carneville.  Sinead is only 29, and to watch her ride, and the love and credit she gave to her horse after her gorgeous show-jumping round, brought tears to many eyes.  

We’re never too old, or too young, or too “handicapped”, to let that stand in our way.  It’s no good sitting on our butts, wishing and dreaming, waiting for things to be different.  Get up and make your dreams happen!  Ask for help if you need it, but do it!  What are you waiting for?