>>>>This guy is my favorite horseman! www.lessismorehorse.com Thanks for the link!
A good article: "Training, Teaching, or Learning Together?" In the last year, there has been a significant change in my personal philosophy of horsemanship. I no longer take horses in for "training". I do not believe in "training" horses or "teaching" horses. I no longer believe in "training" or "teaching" humans. I now help the horse and human "LEARN TOGETHER" how to develop their relationship. I know, it sounds like a play on words, but it isn't. It is a heartfelt change in my philosophy. Just a few short years ago while I was working in a lab at a local healthcare facility, I was drawing blood on an infant. The boy's mother and grandmother were there. I heard the grandmother singing softly to him in what I recognized as Lakota. (I am an avid student of Native American culture and history) Afterwards I struck up a conversation which led to a friendship. Phyllis would see the pictures of my horses in my lab and ask what it is that I do with horses. I began a very long explanation about what it is I do. After 20 minutes, she flat out just asked me again, what it is that I was' training' the horses to do. I couldn't figure out how to explain it to her any better. Well, a few weeks go by and she came in to see me at work. She asked again what it was that I was "training" the horse to do. Finally she stated this.... "Horses don't need you. Horses already know how to do everything that they need to do. With the exception of the first day, they can already, walk, trot, canter, gallop, stop, stand still, gait, go forward, back up, move their hindquarters, move their forequarters, side pass, sliding stop, piaffe, passage, round their backs, vertically flex, laterally flex, spin, etc. They were born with lightness in their bodies. So if they can do all of these things without you, what is it exactly that you are trying to 'train' them to do? You are both two beings trying to learn together how to communicate. You don't know more than the horse and you never ever will. So stop trying to train and teach and begin learning together." You could have knocked me over with a feather! In 30 seconds, she truly changed my horsemanship! In the last year or so, my horsemanship has gone through a change. I no longer "train" horses...I no longer "teach" horses....I no longer "train" people...and I no longer "teach" people....I now help people "LEARN TOGETHER" with their horses. I know, it sounds cheesey like a play on words. But it is not. it is a heartfelt change in my philosophy. Phyllis had not ridden a horse since she was a teenager ( she was 82 when I met her) yet she had this wonderful almost supernatural ability to be with animals and was a walking encyclopedia on the subject of horses. Sadly, Phyllis passed away in late February 2006. She never had the opportunity to watch me with horses and was never able to witness what a change she made inside of me. So I now dedicate my horsemanship to her Native American way of "learning together". What she taught me, made that much of an impact in my life with horses. So if you see me at a clinic, horse fair, seminar or symposium and you should happen to notice a Native American pin on my shirt, or a feather on my horse, please note that it is not because I am a "wanna be" Native American. It is a heartfelt way of remembering someone who, in a very short time together, had a huge impact in my personal philosophy and horsemanship. I have been striving to eliminate the words "training" and "teaching" from my vocabulary and replace them with the term "Learning Together". While those terms have been used in my previous articles, web pages and message board postings, I refuse to go back and edit them. Why? Because I am hoping that others will visit my web page and by spending time here, realize the progression - the evolution - in my personal philosophy and horsemanship. _________________________ Judy http://icehorses.net http://clickryder.com
