Bees

A Bit of Learned Wisdom

A bit of learned wisdom,

One of the greatest and most difficult lessons I have learned over the many years of working with horses of all sizes and capabilities is to be able to identify acknowledge and accept my limitations as well as any limitations of each horse I am working with.

Only by acknowledging and accepting those limitations are we able to cope with and move forward with such knowledge.   This can be in the form of physical and or emotional limitations. It is important to identify the source and response of those limits. It is important to identify if those limitations can be met and move beyond them or if necessary to accept and not push further.

For myself, it is physical limitations due to a non horse related leg and back injury. When I began my early days of riding it was with pure brawn, little brain. I began with “old school” training, forcing the horse to respond in the way I thought was necessary.   Now I ride with brain over brawn, understanding and positive influence instead of forcing a horse my way.   I have learned the hard way to take care of my personal injuries without pushing thru the pain and to accept I may not always be able to jump on any horse and work thru the day. The same can be said for your horse. It is important to be aware and accepting of your horses limits, both physically and emotionally. Some times it is good to push thru some issues while other times it is best to back off and allow the healing process to occur.

I have found it less than productive to push forward without proper knowledge or acceptance of limits both of the horse and myself. I have also found that more injuries occur when we choose not to be present with this information and utilize the necessary recovery time for us both.  It is important to know your limits and allow others to help or guide your way