Happy times in 2009: Taking a squad of our horses & kids to their first horse show Some time last summer I read an article about career planning that suggested reading some books outside of your normal go-to genre, and that once you'd read 3 books on a subject, you could consider yourself somewhat of an expert. I wandered around the local library soon after, and noticed that the librarian had put out a selection of 'self-help' books, including 'How to Make Friends and Influence People', 'Getting to Yes', and 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People'.
The Seven Habits really changed my life in terms of helping me to understand my new job and the people that came with it, and in articulating what I was struggling to achieve. Of course, the book is meant to help the reader navigate their lives among other people in a better way. But, seeing through this new lens as I get back into spending time with my horses, it's not surprising to me that concepts from the book can apply to good horsemanship:
Be Proactive: A clean and tidy place prevents injuries and accidents.
Put First Things First: If you're not primarily concerned with the physical and mental well-being of your horse, you're not going to enjoy any success for very long.
Begin With the End in Mind: A common saying is 'Every moment you're with your horse, you are either training or un-training him.'
The above 3 habits are called 'Private Victories'. The quality of your schooling at home will determine the quality of your performance when you're competing. Also, your own self-awareness and self-discipline will determine your ability. 'Inside out', not 'outside in'. You're in charge of your own journey.
Think Win/Win: Your horse has a limited ability to think, but he sure knows the difference between being treated well and being treated badly. A good trainer will ensure the horse is enjoying himself, which is fun to ride!
Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood: If you're not open to learning all you can about your horse's physiology, care, and good training practices, what qualifications do you have to train him? Try reading 3 books on each subject!
Synergize: A horse and rider sharing joy in the same activity is the epitome of good sport. Bring together lots of horses and people sharing joy, and I want to be there!
The above 3 habits are called 'Public Victories'. I can train at home on my own, but real success comes from sharing knowledge and celebrating with others, and that builds even more success. The horse industry could use a lot more of that.
Habit 7 is Sharpen the Saw: Rest and return to nature to recharge your batteries. Have a little fun. Do something without the competition in mind. Enjoy the horse as he is naturally. Keep things balanced.
The Seven Habits really changed my life in terms of helping me to understand my new job and the people that came with it, and in articulating what I was struggling to achieve. Of course, the book is meant to help the reader navigate their lives among other people in a better way. But, seeing through this new lens as I get back into spending time with my horses, it's not surprising to me that concepts from the book can apply to good horsemanship:
Be Proactive: A clean and tidy place prevents injuries and accidents.
Put First Things First: If you're not primarily concerned with the physical and mental well-being of your horse, you're not going to enjoy any success for very long.
Begin With the End in Mind: A common saying is 'Every moment you're with your horse, you are either training or un-training him.'
The above 3 habits are called 'Private Victories'. The quality of your schooling at home will determine the quality of your performance when you're competing. Also, your own self-awareness and self-discipline will determine your ability. 'Inside out', not 'outside in'. You're in charge of your own journey.
Think Win/Win: Your horse has a limited ability to think, but he sure knows the difference between being treated well and being treated badly. A good trainer will ensure the horse is enjoying himself, which is fun to ride!
Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood: If you're not open to learning all you can about your horse's physiology, care, and good training practices, what qualifications do you have to train him? Try reading 3 books on each subject!
Synergize: A horse and rider sharing joy in the same activity is the epitome of good sport. Bring together lots of horses and people sharing joy, and I want to be there!
The above 3 habits are called 'Public Victories'. I can train at home on my own, but real success comes from sharing knowledge and celebrating with others, and that builds even more success. The horse industry could use a lot more of that.
Habit 7 is Sharpen the Saw: Rest and return to nature to recharge your batteries. Have a little fun. Do something without the competition in mind. Enjoy the horse as he is naturally. Keep things balanced.
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