THE 5 MINUTE FIX?

The commentary over the last few days over the video of Mark Todd whipping a horse to go over a water jump has got me thinking…

My 2 cents worth is that I like to focus on changing the expectations of the 5 minute horse fix. It has to go….and that coaches and clinicians have to let go of the expectations and pressure they feel to make big changes in a horse and rider combination in a single lesson or clinic. There are always many ways to solve problems, the fast ways always carry risks. Whipping a horse over a jump falls into the category of the fast way….a slow way is acknowledging the horses lack of confidence and slowly building that horses confidence over time. The slow way has to become better understood and accepted…part of our culture of the way we do things….but can we do it?

I was just listening to Brene Brown’s new book Atlas of the Heart and in it she stated this quote that appears in the meme.

So, my question is….does our treatment of horses simply highlight our weakness for processing failure & accepting responsibility?

Is this why we do the things we do and think the way we think when horses resist us because they are confused, uncomfortable, stressed, not motivated or confident?

Is this what separates us with horses and in life?

Those that can process what appears as failure and those that can’t? Those that can accept they have made a mistake, done something shitty, behaved poorly, been incompetent ….and strive to do better and be better…and care for those they have caused pain or hurt…..from those that can’t??

What are your thoughts?