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Are You Strong Enough To Bend?
 "He trains my hands for battle; my arms canbend a bow of bronze."
(Psalm 18: 34)
The More You Learn To Bend -
The Stronger You Become
In the world of horse trainers and clinicians, there's lots of different opinions about "bending" horses too much. Some say a little bending is ok, while others "poo-poo" it altogether. Some even believe it interferes with a horse's ability to ride straight. Interestingly, before Aussie horse clinician, Clinton Anderson, of Downunder Horsemanship came on the American scene, there wasn't much controversy about "bending" or "flexing" horses. I don't think too many people gave it much thought. Then, along came Clinton and the art of lateral flexion! Now everybody has an opinion. And a few even have a tape measure by which they endorse just the right amount of bending they think is correct.
Since I've got a horse in this race, so to speak, I might as well weigh in with my opinion, and what I've discovered, too! For starters, one of the things I've discovered is that Clinton Anderson's horsemanship method is one of the best organized and easy to understand programs to ever come down the pike - so don't go "dissing" my boy! The second thing I've discovered is that Clinton is right when it comes to the benefits of lots of bending (lateral flexion), at least when it comes to my horses. The better my horses have learned to bend - the stronger they have become at everything else I have asked them to do. And I ask a lot!
"You Have To Learn To Bend The Bow Before You Can Shoot A Straight Arrow!"
(A truism from Susan Klaudt)
My horse, Samson, is a retired western pleasure show horse. I know from experience that it takes a strong horse to correctly maintain the three western pleasure gaits of walk, jog, and lope with slow, forward motion and cadence. And it takes straightness, too. Samson is one of the straightest rail horses you'll ever find. You might think it's crazy, but one of the things that helps keep Samson so straight is his ability and willingness to bend!
Neither horses nor people can be stiff-necked and stubborn, and bend at the same time. It's one or the other.
Sometimes when you first attempt to "bend" your horse, he doesn't understand or get it. But if he's smart, he soon figures it out. It's the same way with people. People don't always get it, either. They don't understand why God would ever require them to have to bend in any situation. And yet, the smart ones will eventually come to realize that it's the bend that keeps them from breaking into!
What really makes a good horse? A good horse isn't just one you can throw a leg over. A good horse knows how to bend or "give to" pressure, even when that pressure is being caused from the weight that I choose to put on him. God wants the same from you and me. The question isn't whether or not pressure comes from God. The deeper question is - will you learn to bend?
Bending May Not Come Natural, But It Can Be Learned
Western pleasure trainer, Waymond Roberts, of Roberts Quarter Horses in Chatsworth, Georgia working with my horse Samson on softening and bending exercises.
Let's go further. Horses are a lot like people. Some things come naturally. Some don't. For example, horses are pretty adept at moving forward on their own. But you probably won't see a horse just standing out in the pasture doing lateral flexion exercises (bending his neck from side to side). Why? Because it's not natural for him to do so. And what about stiff-necked people? You probably won't see them doing a lot of bending either. Again, why? Because it 's not natural for them to do so. So, what's being natural? Being natural is akin to "if it feels good, do it, and if it don't, well then, don't"! The problem with the natural, feel-good theology is - just because something comes natural and feels good doesn't mean it's God's best for us. If you want God's best, then you've got to grow. And to grow, you've got to bend. And then you've got to bend some more!
Repetition is your best friend. The more you do something, the better you get at it! Want to get good at bending? Then start bending, bending, bending - and then bend some more!
WANT TO SEE WHAT REPETITION CAN ACCOMPLISH?
Check out this YouTube Video of a pole bending horse running the course on his own! Obviously, his owner understood the value of repetition in his training, and he has learned his lessons well. As a result, this horse is not only strong enough to bend around the poles, but he's good enough at it that he can do it by himself, even when his rider is nowhere to be seen!
 | | Automatic Pole Horse |
Faith is knowing that no matter how tough things get or how much you have to bend - God is always bending right there beside you, even in the dirt!
I never ask my horse to do anything that I'm not willing to get right down in the dirt with him and help see him through to victory.
"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights. He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great . You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn."
(Psalm 18: 32 - 36 written by King David)
When we learn how to bend our knees in praise to God - we learn how to win every battle!
Learning to bend is learning to win.
Let me explain. Of all the old testament people, I am perhaps most fascinated by King David and his life. He was certainly one of the greatest Kings who ever lived.
On many occasions, David found himself immersed in battle. In fact, his entire life seemed to be one big battle after another. And yet, David did not break. He was victorious in battle time and time again.
So how did that happen? Was he some kind of super-hero, or just lucky, perhaps? Nope, you will have to look a little deeper for the secret to David's success. David was a young boy when he made the decision to put on the full armor of God, instead of the natural, metal armor of protection offered to him by Saul. As a consequence of his faith, he not only slew the giant Philistine with one single stone from his hand-made slingshot, but he learned the secret to winning all of his battles for the rest of his life. And he wrote all about it in the book of Psalms. Want to know David's secret?
The secret is in the bend.
When we're willing to bend our knee to God in praise - we learn how to win every battle!
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