“Every discipline does it,” is a Pathetic Excuse of Horse Abuse
When I was young, it was common as children to say something like, “but everyone else in my class gets to go!” To which my parents would say, “if everyone in your class jumped off…
Miscellaneous
Posts & Articles with nowhere else to go. :)
The Dilemma of Human Want
I often get called upon to talk with abused horses and the training/rehab of the abused horses is a subject I could talk about for a very long time but today I want to discuss…
How to Stop Procrastinating
So, what causes procrastination? Basically, it is fears, but each procrastinator develops and responds to his/her own specific fears. In varying degrees we are all afraid of facing reality — life’s challenges, the hard work and frustrations ahead of us. You can either deny reality or face it, i.e. say there is “no problem” or admit (maybe even exaggerate) the problems. THus, there are relaxed, fun-loving procrastinators and tense-worried procrastinators. From a behavioral viewpoint, negative reinforcement plays a major role in the development of procrastination, i.e. behaviors (watching TV) and thoughts (rationalizations or excuses) enable students to avoid unpleasant work. Escape from something unpleasant is reinforcing. Procrastination is an escape.
I Have a Suggestion
If you were at one of my clinics the very first thing I would say to you would be: “All that we ask our horses to do for us is based on our human goals and desires. I will go further and suggest that many of those goals are at the expense of our horse’s safety and well being.”
An Equestrian’s Dying Wish
I’ve found that if we pay enough attention we’ll see stories, events, ideas almost seek us out depending on what is going on in our lives. The story of an 86-year-old gentleman nearing the end of his life surfaced for me today. His last wish apparently was to give his three ponies one last hug.
Easy & Effective Homemade Thrush Treatment
When you’re around horses long enough the inevitable happens, you learn what thrush is and you end up having to deal with it. It isn’t always as simple as applying a single product because thrush is tough to beat and in the process can make our horse lame.
Even before it becomes that bad, thrush can cause enough heel pain that the horse toe walks; a process that impairs the entire hoof function and can create many other hoof monsters.
Avoid Killing Your Vet
The title should include, “or severely injuring him!” Honestly a large animal vet’s job is hard enough with a well behaved patient that I can’t help but think it’s just downright rude to present him…
Fear, Confidence & Benefit of the Doubt
Although I think most people’s outward assessment of me would not readily include the adjective “fearful,” they might be surprised to find just how many times I do in-fact experience fear. Sometimes it is fleeting,…
Is Your Horse Environment Supportive?
I started riding at a large farm which combined boarding, private lessons, training and home to a Therapeutic Riding Program. There was an ebb and flow of energy that coursed through it, the busyness that…
Starting with Body Awareness
As riders we often demand from the horse that he respect our personal space by not pushing into us, walking too closely or otherwise intruding and creating a situation for injuries. But do we extend…
Are You Riding Towards A Goal?
Whether riding is a hobby or your profession, sometimes we all need a reminder to set some personal goals. My own reminder arrived this last month in an unrelated vein. Feeling as though my progress…
The Gift of Equestrian Grudges
I’ve been holding a grudge. There, I said it. For too long I had a grudge and not just any grudge, it was one that I didn’t even know existed. This thing, this weight I’ve…
Being an Honest & Responsible Equestrian
I wonder at times, would the people who write this sort of stuff have the gall to express those same sentiments to my face if we met in person at random? Say they ran into me at a dinner somewhere in public, would they yell and shout, scream curse words at me and call me names to express their dislike of my opinion?
Why Novice Riders Make Excellent Teachers
There is often a sense of curiosity, wonder and awe that has not been polluted with fear, frustration, ego or politics.
Curiosity Killed the Equestrian?
What happens to that free-spirited and unbridled joy inherent to any horse-crazy-kid when they grow up? Somewhere it is often exchanged with seriousness and the need for perfection. So how does a person go about reclaiming that sense of innocence with their horse?
Relax (Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff)
We get the opportunity to enjoy being in the moment if we are present enough to realize it and take hold of it, but often we get caught up in thoughts that do not help us in the here and now but pull us into superficial goals and actions. We fight and fuss over the horse, struggle with the basics and yearn for the complex achievements.