When I first started in the horse business my goal was just to survive and try to create a business that I live on. I am grateful every day that I was able to achieve that goal. After that my goal, like many of performance horse trainers’ goals, was to win. Winning in a class at a reputable show would display that I knew what I was doing on a horse. My students winning in classes would display that I knew how to teach my knowledge to the full extent.
After a few years many things changed my mind on what was more important than winning. Stressed teenagers not having a break down at a show; eight-year-olds having fun; full time workaholic moms not breaking the bank just to show their horse on their off weekends are all more important than winning. Not breaking a horse down physically at such a young age, and not sacrificing the way I train horses to force unnatural movement are all more important than winning. So in the last year I have changed my goals.
My goal is to always stay true to my training method, and to stand by it confidently. I will no longer be worried about trying to get a horse into a show ring before he/she is ready. That also means telling my clients that I need more training time, and that’s okay. I know that the end result is a well-rounded, happy horse and if the client wants to force the horse to get there faster, then that client is not for me. My goal is to always do right by the horse. If I feel a certain discipline will not work for that horse, I will only ask him/her to perform to the best of their abilities. I will never use training aids on a horse, and will always seek to understand how to work best with each individual animal.
My goal is to teach this method to anyone else who will listen. I see kids at shows yanking on their horses, tying their heads under, getting frustrated at the horse when they can’t understand why they won’t listen. I will work to help anyone who comes to me understand their horse. I am happy to say that I do not have students that yank on their horses, and students that understand that if they are frustrated they need to take a step back and see if maybe they are the ones incorrectly communicating something to their horse. And if they are incorrectly communicating something, not to worry about it! Have fun, ride your horse; as long as you keep trying it will all come together eventually. There should be no stress in this business, because horses do not feel stress unless you give it to them.
We all need a goal, and showing gives us great goals to work toward. But the goal should always be to work with your horse as a partner toward that goal; the higher goal should be to completely understand another animal so well that you can move as one through your class. Suddenly now the goal is internal, taking out the stress of everything around you. I believe if I can help someone work through their own internal struggles, in a way that is more fun than stressful, to complete peace and unity on the back of a thousand pound animal, in front of a crowd and someone judging them the whole time, I will have achieved my goal. I plan to tackle this goal one person and one horse at a time!
Now you share your goals in riding! What do you plan to accomplish in your riding this year?