|
|
|
|
Exceptional Horsemanship Newsletter
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greetings!
July 4, 2008 - I was laying in the dirt. A dust devil swept over my face and it started to rain. There was nothing I could do. The bottom part of my leg was lying off to the side of the top part of my leg. After surgery for a complete knee break (ALL ligaments completely snapped off and curled back into the muscle, bones broken, tendons and muscles a mess) I was hooked up to a perpetual motion machine and a cooleroo machine that kept my leg at 49 degrees, for 3 months.
But alas, life is GOOD. While I had been working on my book "'til I Came to Realize" for some time, I set it aside and wrote Curbside Service. I did have some time on my hands, after all.
I hope most everyone is back at it after the 'shut 'er down' virus attack.
Question: Will your horse come to you? In a pasture or stall? Or do you get the butt facing you instead of the face facing you? Does your horse like you? And I don't mean because you feed and give treats. How much time do you spend with people you like and how are you when you're around people you don't like? What if a person turned their back to you as you walked up to talk to them?
Funny situations show up several times in a short time frame. I write about concepts to think about and try to give examples to make it more fun and add clarity. The funny thing? I'll get several people contact me about the same newsletter and say "I know you wrote that about our last lesson in the new newsletter." Well folks, guess what, NO! That's why I write about these concepts, they're for everyone. I am 3-4 months ahead on what I'm writing about in my newsletters. I write and collect quotes and re-write to make it better and then, with maybe an update of news, it goes out on the first of the month that it's scheduled for with a click. So, if you think it's about you, I suppose it is, but I wrote it months ago.
If you're a recent newsletter joinee or just want to refresh what we've covered, click on the archives button on the website (right column below the book info). Please forward this newsletter to a couple of friends and suggest they sign up to get their own. Also, if you've clicked on the RSS button to be notified of my latest bloggings, I'd appreciate it if you would email me and let me know if it's working or not.
|
So... Are You Horseman Material????
Dominance, Leadership, Control and Fear You have to show the horse who's boss! We've all heard it, we've probably all said it. But... consider this - would you accept as your boss someone who didn't know how to do the job? Someone who doesn't have a clue as to how you operated? Someone who constantly does the WRONG things at the worst possible moment? Someone who hurts you physically because they have no idea what not to do and/or can't control their body parts responsibly? Someone who loses THEIR balance so they yank on YOUR mouth? Someone who barely has the ability to maintain an upright position on top of you? Or... someone with a temper that takes it out on you? "Force is all conquering, but its victories are short-lived." Abe Lincoln Those four words at the top are worthy of deep consideration in your horsemanship. I'm going to attempt to stay focused (not easy for me when there's so much to write about) and carry this line of thought through the blog and newsletters a bit. But, I can't get it all done in a newsletter so, I would hope you will ponder each word itself in regards to your horsemanship. Check the blog for more in-depth thoughts, there's just no end to this discussion and to our learning.
How you feel about wanting to dominate a horse has a lot to do with ego along with the last two words in the line, control and fear. But, it doesn't have much to do with leadership.
And of course, let me know what you're thinking. There's plenty of comment space available for you on the blog.
"You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration." -- James Allen
There's a difference between techniques and technique.
For exceptional results, think "how and how can I".
|
Upcoming stuff: This is a clip from Nadja King: Unfortunately when the yielding to the bit is first introduced, it is introduced in hand and normally at halt. This is a little worrying that from the beginning we ask for a yield in the mouth, neck, and/or head which does not involve any of the rest of the horse, in the body of the horse - in a horse that has all four legs planted, inert. Logic indicates that if the legs, the hips, the shoulders are unmoving and we only ask for a yield that involves the head and the neck, in actuality we are creating a disconnect between the mouth and the rest of the body. We have lost the opportunity of picking up the rein and feeling the connection to the hind end at the very same moment in time. Feldenkrais practitioner and SENSE Method creator, Mary Debono when asked about the effects of Rollkur on the inner systems and biomechanics of the horse simply replied "Movement benefits from choice." Both these comments took a moment for me to draw in. "Never ask at fast gaits what you cannot get at slow ones." - Francois Baucher
|
|
|
|
Accelerate your knowledge, commit to going for better, headin' for Exceptional, in all directions, confidence, refinement, skills and fun on a whole new level. Call or email me to schedule a lesson, training session, phone or email lesson/consultation today.
Don't forget to check the blog for more training and put in your questions and comments!Sincerely,
ME
Lauren Woodard
ExceptionalHorsemanship.com |
Lauren Woodard
Scottsdale, Arizona 85254
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
