Encouragement is
one of the biggest things sought by the student in the learning process, yet
this can often be missing at the most crucial moments. We can become so
obsessed with success and failure that we miss the key thing to achievement…to try.
To try is
everything when you want to achieve something. But equally important, is
to notice when someone else is trying. A fantastic example is watching a
baby learning how to walk, they just try and the friends and family around them
encourage them to keep at it. I think a lot of people should think of
their horse as a baby learning how to walk, trust that they will get it and
give them whatever you can to help them get there.
Success can be
rewarded, but it should be seen as a by-product of the guts it took to give it
a go. To breed more success, it’s the effort of the journey which has to
be rewarded higher. To reward success alone can be suffocating and a fear
of failure can easily grow, not something you want in a person or a horse.
Learn to read the
horse you’re working with and reward any little try, you’ll get a horse who is
far more willing to try for you again. Take a look inwardly as well, do
you put too much pressure on yourself? The result (perceived success or
failure) is ultimately out of your control, but the thing you control is how
you try. No guts, no glory.
