Don't Hitch Yourself to One Wagon

That's just about what our weather is like.

Very windy, and leaves blowing everywhere!

So lately we haven't been able to play, because if we did I'm sure that we would both be blown over. ;-)

But it has given me some time to read/watch and learn some new things from Mark Rashid!

I got his new old book, Considering the Horse, Tales of Problems Solved and Lessons Learned.

It's been really good!

I've learned a lot, and I really like his way of writing.

It's funny though, just when I had told mom (after I had read about half the book) that he is probably my favorite horseman, we watched something that changed my mind a little bit.

In his DVD Developing Softness in the Rider (which we had just watched) he talks a lot about aikido. 

"a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying (with) life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit. ..." 

And honestly, I don't know enough about it, to judge it. But he talked a lot about energy and how you can 'store' it and utilize it. So, for grins, mom and I did his exercises to see if it worked.

Now, I'm not going to say it worked, and I'm not going to say it failed. Because it did neither.

But, I think it was more of a mind over matter situation. Where you are more determined/strong/etc. Energy is a hard thing for me to grasp. I know there's kinetic energy (the kind you learn about in science books that involves baseballs and planets) but there's the kind that you hear a lot about when you delve into horsemanship, or alternative healing. The kind that involves frequencies, your mind, and bodily energy.

So, being a Christian, it's just a hard thing for me to understand. Because there isn't anything in the Bible that talks about having a good 'energy.' Maybe when we say, energy, we actually mean attitude. Or energy can be translated into character. Or even farther, temperament....

Anyway, (digressing here...)

Just when I think I've found 'it!' as in the best clinician, best program or best philosophy, there's a big, black, ominous hole that stares at me right in the face.

So, facing the facts, you can never hitch yourself to one wagon.

I think there is always going to be a hole in any philosophy, any program or any horse trainer. And if you think there isn't, you're kidding yourself. I don't believe that anyone has all the answers, except God. So it's best to learn from every clinician that you can and do what's best for your horse. Because, logically every horse is completely different. One horse may get along with one clinician (making him or her the best) and another horse may make that clinician look like a fool.

And that's when pride comes into play.

But I'll stop now, and save that for a later post. ;-)

~Lea & Eddie~

Luke 18:14

"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."