No Stupid Question, Right?

Recently I received an email that said, “Barb, there’s no stupid question, right???”

I said, “If my husband comes in and says, ‘Honey, would you like for me to make dinner for you? … I say, that’s a stupid question!”

In the horse world, all questions are good ones!

The specific concern was how to straighten “the bend” of a horse if his body is bent to right and the rider wants his body to be straight. Specifically, the question was about which leg to use.

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Our horses have so much in common with us emotionally.

In order to learn or perform at their best, they must be relaxed, open, receptive, and yet energized.

With horses, one of the clues that lets us know if we are effectively communicating with them is their eyes.

What we are looking for is a relaxed, yet attentive horse … one who is engaged, but not anxious or reactive.

You can tell so much by a horse’s eyes.

“Soft” eyes are open, bright, receptive and look relaxed.

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It is super easy to just grab a bridle out of the tack room without giving much thought about why you are choosing that particular one.

It’s also easy to use whatever bit you always use. It’s easy to try a bit because someone else recommended it in general (not even for your horse, especially).

But, it’s important to become knowledgeable about bits and bridles because this is THE contact piece of equipment a horse feels in his tender mouth via the action of your hands.

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Last January when Rob Leach, a trainer from Australia, came to Brenham and did a clinic at the ranch, I was reminded of a concept that I have since used more and more in my riding.

I am constantly amazed by it.

It is the power in a pause when you ride your horse.

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Has your horse ever been anxious, or distracted and you weren’t sure how to handle the situation?

There is an action you can fall back on when your horse needs to regain focus … for whatever reason.

It’s an exercise designed to help you regain communication with your horse by engaging him in something he already knows how to do.

It’s utilizing a sequence of actions he knows to bring him back to a feeling of steadiness, calmness and focus.

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If you are a cutter, do you know how a silky turn feels?

If you’re a reiner, do you know how a smooth, sliding stop feels?

If you’re a barrel racer, do you know how a precisely executed, lightening-fast barrel turn feels?

You fill-in the blanks for your kind of riding.

The typical way we learn to experience these things is through hours and hours of riding. If we haven’t gotten there yet, we lament that SOMEDAY … out there in eternity somewhere … we will get that sensation before we kick the bucket!

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And Stay More Relaxed

Linda is a good rider. She practices a lot. She has a nice horse. She loves to compete.

Show day is here. She goes into the arena and may as well be on planet Mars. Linda is sooo nervous!

She rides at about 50% of her capability. Her horse is fussy with his mouth. When she leaves the arena, she feels awful.

Later, Linda’s trainer, Joe is casually looking at some pictures of Linda in the ring. He notices Linda’s white knuckles on the reins!

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Why is it that whatever we don’t like about things just seems to POP out, and dominate our thoughts?

Did you know you can say 10 complimentary things to someone, but the positive effects of those “nice” things do not impact someone as strongly as one comment perceived as negative?

When I do clinics, I always say, “If you take away only one mental strategy, let it be this, ‘Focus on what you want … not on what you don’t want.’”

For example, if you are trying to overcome nerves, the only way you will succeed is if you find ways to condition a feeling of calmness to replace your anxiety. Trying to “not be nervous” will only make you more nervous.

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