Removing the Rose Coloured Glasses- The Pitfalls of Horse Learning

 

My students who are most “successful” in their horse learning are not always the ones to reach “the end results” fastest. Instead, they are the individuals who are more interested and curious in learning how to develop the skills to communicate and work with the horse, rather than resorting to seeking quick fixes, or creating stories to explain away resistance or unwanted equine behaviors.

Responsibility of Awareness

Instead of the expected “fulfilling” experience, for many, it can feel feel like a slap in the face as the pendulum swings from being emotionally motivated by a hyper condensed online inspirational clips (usually of someone with hundreds of hours of experience) handling, riding, etc., showing a “before and after” idealistic outcome, to facing and experiencing the realities of (infrequently discussed) the hours upon hours of trial and error steep learning curve of horse experiences.

There's also an unspoken "burden" that accompanies gaining knowledge… I warn students, once they can "see," they no longer "cannot not see." This can be difficult for people to mentally absorb as they begin to recognize the bigger picture of what the horse has been experiencing and understanding the why behind his responses.

With an increased awareness of fundamental holes and missing aspects in both their own and the horse’s education, one is faced with a choice: See it as positive insight- information that can help them focus on what to learn next, or, depending on one’s mindset, it may be interpreted as negative information reflecting how much may still be "missing" and how much more there is to learn.

This choice in how to perceive the newfound clarity quickly separates those who like the idea of an outcome from those who are willing to commit to the process of learning, despite it being a potentially unclear, winding journey, without guaranteed outcomes.

A Road Less Traveled

Every equine interaction is an opportunity as one stands facing the proverbial fork in the road. The most simplistic "starting point" advice I can offer, is to start by asking yourself and observing your emotions as you answer the following questions:

Are you mentally available to learn?
Do you seek root causes or prefer to mask symptoms for the sake of prioritizing accomplishing your task faster?
Do you have premeditated expectations of the horse?
Does your current skill level match what is needed to help teach and communicate with the horse what is being asked of him?
Do your emotions influence your responses to the horse’s unexpected/unwanted “counter offers?”
Do you observe the equine without applying an emotional filter or story to explain his behavior?
Do you have patterns of comfort that better “serve” you than create adaptability in the equine?

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Speaking of journeys and roads traveled, I'm about to embark on a three month European teaching tour- if you're interested in arranging a Private Alternative Horsemanship™ Clinic, please message with your email, location, and any other relevant details, and my office manager with reach out with details.

Travel Schedule:
Switzerland- Early June
Austria- June/early July
Italy- Late July/ early August
France (southern)- late August