1. What discipline do you ride? What would you ride if you could pick any other one?
Honestly, I don't know the answer to this question. I took dressage, jumping, and x-country lessons in pony club (mostly dressage). I have trail ridden in western tack. I took an advanced horsemanship class last semester where I learned reining. In total, I have a western saddle (which I am currently using) and three english saddles. To top it all off, I haven't ridden since May. So . . .I ride whatever discipline offers me an opportunity. I would love to compete in a lot of different disciplines once, but I don't know if I'll ever find one to settle down with.
2. How many horses have you ridden in your entire riding career?
Oh boi. That is a question. To list them: Koy, Merrylegs, Zipporah, Mars, Sampson, Prancer, Babe, Autumn, Moses, Jamaica, Dan, Omine, Jack, Sierra, Rosie, Princess, Promise, Tango, Vinyassa, Cadence, Topaz, Spring, Montana, Cali, Desi, a buckskin whose name I have forgotten, Donnie, Domino, a very green mare whose name I have forgotten, Cowboy, horse and pony rides I barely remember from fairs as a child, Polly, Skip, a number of other lesson horses from advanced horsemanship whose names I never learned, Gambler, Avalon, a gaming pony whose name I have forgotten, another Dan, a number of camp horses whose names I have forgotten, Blaze, and I'm sure there are others that I have forgotten at the moment.
This picture is from my first riding lesson ever. The mare's name was Zipporah, or Zippo. |
I adored this herd of horses. Sadly they have all died or been rehomed since. |
3. Most bizarre activity you’ve done
with your horse/a horse?
Bizarre is in the eyes of the
beholder. I do things that many people who aren’t familiar with horses would
find odd. For instance, I do a lot of strange things to desensitize horses.
I’ll run, do jumping jacks; bring balloons and pool noodles and bags to the
barn.
Some horse people might think the things I do differently are odd. I have been criticized
countless times for being too easy on horses I train. Usually they say something
like, “You're letting the horse push you around.” For the record, I do not let my horses push me around. My horses
know exactly how close to me they may get. They do not bite or kick me without
being “bitten or kicked” in return. I am not afraid to physically hit a horse, but
I save those corrections for issues of safety.
There is a difference between
smacking a horse on the rump with whip when it kicks toward your face and
hitting a horse in the chest with a whip because it didn’t back up fast enough.
If you go from 0 to 100 when teaching your horse to move away, you will have to
go to 100 every time you want that horse to move. I like to go through the
stages of 1,2,3,4,5, and so on. To outsiders, this looks like I’m just
repeating myself while my horse ignores me. Pretty bizarre! But in six months,
my horse will be backing from 1 and their horse will still be backing from 100.
4. Do you consider riding to be your
outlet? If yes, why?
I don’t ride much these days,
but horses are my outlet. In order to ride and train well, you must learn to
dwell in the moment. Horses are never wondering about tomorrow or contemplating
yesterday. Every time I head to the barn, I get to immerse myself in the right
now. It’s refreshing.
5. Have you ever read horse-related
magazines? If yes, which one(s)?
Yes! I read Young Rider when I was. . . a young rider. I won my cinch and pink
helmet from that magazine. I also have read Equus,
Horse & Rider, and the seasonal
USEF magazine.
6. Most memorable advice given to
you?
This one is hard, because I have
gotten so much advice. Most of it has been archived in a brain space labeled
“miscellaneous horse wisdom”. However, the best advice that I have . . .
absorbed from different sources is the horse always has a reason.
Horses are unpredictable, yes, but that is only because us humans suck and
realizing why they do what they do.
7. Did you ever collect Breyer horse
models or similar?
I collected a few Breyer horse
models, but I preferred the smaller, hardier Schleich models from Fleet Farm.
8. Favorite “celebrity” horse?
My favorite “celebrity” horse is
Teddy O’Connor. If you don’t know who that is . . . I’m disappointed in you. As
for “celebrity” horses that are still alive, I love Elisa Wallace’s Hwin. I’ve
also been fascinated with Sam Vanfleet’s current Player’s Choice Mustang Makeover mare, Roulette. YouTube horses count as celebrities, right?
9. If you could spend a day learning
from any horse person (past or present) who would you choose?
This question is entirely unfair. How
am I supposed to choose just one? I am entirely fascinated with Warwick
Schiller’s training methods. A lesson with Elisa Wallace would be fantastic. I’ve
just started looking at the TRT method as well. If I did have to choose just
one, it would have to be Pat Parelli. People have their issues with the Parelli
program, personally I have broadened my horizons to other trainers, but Pat
Parelli himself is a true horseman and I feel like I could learn so much from
him.
10. If you could ride in any
international arena in the world, where would you choose?
International arenas aren’t on my
radar at the moment. I’m more concerned with the here and now with Avalon.
However, if I was ever at a level of riding and training that landed me
overseas, I don’t think I would care where I was. The honor of traveling for
something I love would be enough for me.
Great answers, I particularly relate to #4, although, I do ride a lot. I have a couple horses who are never ridden, and I enjoy them just as much. I think you introduced me to Warwick Schiller, and I love his philosophy. Also, smaller steps--1,2,3,4,etc rather than 1 to 100. However, once I know they know it, and then they give me a super defiant NO--they might get to 100 quicker--just so they understand that I understand what they're doing--hopefully, making the rest of the asks less dramatic.
ReplyDeleteI definitely implement 1 to 100 later on in the process to refine certain cues, especially if a horse is purposefully moving as slowly as possible.
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