Train Like An Individual!

 I've just started reading the book, THE GIFT, by Barbara Schulte. It talks about how we're all unique with individual insight and abilities that no one else has and how to enhance those abilities with mental strategies for riding. It's great food for thought especially if you struggle with confidence, which happens to be the reason I bought it!

The concept of being a true individual doesn't stop at the rider. It applies to horses as well. Just like us, they have individual personalities but they also have unique strengths and weaknesses.

Every time we interact with a horse we're training whether we know it or not. Because of that, we can either grow that horse's strengths or we can magnify their weaknesses. A good horseman will be in tune to that fact and will work towards building their unique abilities.

By focusing on and encouraging a horse's strengths, just like us, they build confidence. Think about it. When you realize you've done something well, doesn't it make you feel good? Doesn't it make you feel like you've accomplished something? Horses are no different. If they're told, "No, that's not right!", over and over eventually they give up, just like we do. But if they're told, "Yes, that's right!" they just try harder for us.

God made us all different and I think He enjoys that fact. After all, it would get boring if we were all the same! The wonderful thing is that He's a big God that's equipped to deal with our individual craziness, weaknesses, and our strengths. He loves it all anyway and He finds ways to help us each grow our strengths in Him so that we're encouraged and try harder. So celebrate your uniqueness in God and ask Him to help you with it!

Repetition & Consistency Count More

Horses aren't that much different than us. The more we do something, the more we understand it and the better we get at it. Horses are the same way. They learn by repetition.

Just like everyone else, I'm short on time. Most people think you have to have a lot of time to teach a horse. It is true that it takes a lot of time to make a horse but no one said that all that time had to be be spent in one session. In fact, a lot of times less is more when you're teaching.

When I get a young horse in to break, the first thing I do is work on ground manners. Every time I take them in or out of the pasture, I'll spend just a few moments working on moving the hips or shoulders, or backing up. One step in the right direction and I'll turn them loose for the day as their reward.

You might ask what in the world can you teach a horse in two minutes a day? It's not the time that counts, it's the consistency. Twice a day they're given the opportunity to learn about ground manners. In a normal training environment they would only be given that opportunity once a day.

Our walk in faith is the same way. It's not big long prayers or long Bible reading sessions that brings us closer to God. Again, it's not the time that counts but the consistency. When you seek after God's heart day after day that's what He wants. He wants your consistency because He knows just like your horse you learn best by repetition.