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Exceptional Horsemanship Newsletter
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Greetings!
Buenos Dias!
We're having probably our best June we've ever had here in AZ. It's only supposed to have a high in the low 90's today. Holy Cow! I'll be able to ride several horses and still not drop from heat exhaustion. I was testing out the re-constructed knee the other day and at the same time testing two of my horses' willingness and ability to stand still. I haven't done something like this, well, probably since I was a kid, but...
As I wrote in the last newsletter, Peka, the bay Arab has about 100 rides in her. Black Diamond, who came to me as a breaker of other trainer's bones and frankly, the most dangerous horse I've ever been around in my life, has about 60 rides in her. Here's us three practicing:
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So... Are You Horseman Material????
Are you satisfied with your riding skills? Are you satisfied with your horsemanship skills? What are the differences between a rider, trainer, horseman? If you don't know that there are differences, please start thinking about what I may be referring to. If you suppose there are differences, what are they?
A horseman (and women, don't get all in a bunch, we're all in here) is a rider and a trainer. But, riders and trainers aren't necessarily horsemen.
A while back, David O'Connor said, and I'm paraphrasing, "What happens in the horse world these days is completely backwards. People get a horse and start showing, then they, hopefully, learn to ride. Then, maybe, some of them learn horsemanship." I couldn't agree more.
Riders and trainers frequently think what they know is enough. Enough to win, even at the highest levels, doesn't necessarily make one a horseman. Technical skills and ability to stay on and look good in the proper position doesn't make a horseman. Yes, a horseman possesses these, too (although I will add that there have been horsemen that don't exactly have the best looking position).
Horsemen have an understanding and a profound respect for the horse. Who it is and how it thinks and feels and when it's thinking and feeling it. And, a horseman knows that every day is filled with a deepening and continual learning about "horse". There's never enough knowledge, never enough bettering of skills and abilities. Never enough realizations of concepts and changes and ways to do it better for the horse.
AWARENESS, TIMING, FEEL AND PRECISION! Keep getting better, know there's always more.
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If you'd like to get better faster and have a lot of fun, consider gathering 8-10 of your friends and barn mates and schedule a 3-hour workshop with me this summer. Of course you could do a clinic, too. Whichever... if you have the concepts behind the tools and learn how to incorporate them together, your results will skyrocket exponentially.
Don't forget to check the blog for more training and put in your questions and comments!
Sincerely,
Lauren Woodard
Exceptional Horsemanship
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Lauren Woodard
Scottsdale, Arizona 85254
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