My day started out wonderfully, I placed second and third in Non-Pro Hunter in Hand, and got two thirds in Open Hunter in Hand. I was also in Most Colorful Geldings (halter class), since Nick has so much Appaloosa coloring. I got second in that class as well.
Then my day continued wonderfully as my horse began to fall apart. Yes, I said wonderfully. At Advantage Ranch, we go show to figure out who we are as people in stressful situations. (Well it’s also fun to show and nice to win ribbons when they happen, but I digress.)
I just posted an article this past week about people’s attitude toward horses and the training of them. If you haven’t read it, it’s very informative. The following is the relevant bit:
The problem with this approach is that 1) it assumes a horse is something that it is not (such as a dog or a child); and 2) it rewards a horse for inappropriate and/or disrespectful behavior. Horses are noble, magnificent animals that inspire and awe me daily. They deserve respect for what they truly are — which is livestock (prey animals with hooves) of the highest order. Horses do have emotional and psychological needs — but those needs aren’t the same as the human equivalent. It is a form of disrespect and dishonor to treat the horse as anything else. And it harms them, sometimes almost to the point of no return.
When a person and their horse go to a horse show, you tare taking an animal whose very nature is one of fear (prey animal) and putting them into a loud, confusing, and unfamiliar situation where emotions and nerves are high because of competition, and then expecting them to preform the same way they do back home.
By the time we were preparing for Showmanship, Nick was pushing back against, testing the alpha mare (me) he relies on to keep him safe, and I, in my nerves, had been dropping the ball over the course of the day until I couldn’t walk him around without him attempting to walk all over me.
We got through the Non-Pro Showmanship with a balk at the trot transition, though his training really came through in that I was able to bring him back and complete the pattern. After that, I realized that I didn’t trust my horse to not come completely unglued in the next class, so I handed my horse to my coach and I went to the tack room to cry.
And yes, all of this is wonderful. Because once I cried, I went back out and I had a lesson on how to keep Nick’s mind (and my mind) focused more on the task at hand. And this was more valuable to me than the good runs I had in my Hunter in Hand classes, because as I am learning how to deal with the stresses of a horse show, I am really learning how to deal with the stresses of life.
“If things are done correctly, the heat and pressure generated within the crucible of competition should burn away all that is base and false, leaving only the pure and true.”
~ James C. Wofford,
USEF Combined Training Coach
and 2 time Olympic Competitor
And this is the work that is done at Advantage Ranch that is harder to explain to people when they come simply wanting riding lessons for their kids. The program itself is focused on teaching people about themselves and giving them the skills to tackle life instead of being at the mercy of it.
You may remember my post a while ago about my recent bout of depression. This is an example of how what I’ve learned at Advantage Ranch applies to my real life.
That being said, I am now going to use my fledgling influence to tell you about a new project that Advantage Ranch is getting ready to launch.
It is called Resilience Retreats, and it is a summer camp experience for teenagers of military families, who are dealing with parents or siblings who have gone away to war and are having a hard time reintegrating into their families.
While there is support aplenty for the returning soldiers, there is a sad dearth of programs to help the teens cope with these changes.
The Resilience Retreats will help the teens discover who they are and who they are being in this world, which will better equip them to be confidant in themselves in the face of the struggles their loved ones are facing. And we want to provide this experience to them free of charge.
You can find out more information on the website for Resilience Retreats, which will also have a link for the INDIEGOGO campaign which is happening this coming Tuesday the 25th. We are looking to start out strong with our donations and every little bit helps.
Also, check out Advantage Ranch’s Facebook page where there will be posts you can share in order to get the word out. Thanks so much!
