A lot of what we do with horses on a daily basis might not always be in their best interest.
In the past 6,000 years we relied on Horses for our survival.
But in developed countries, we have not relied on horses purely for our survival for at least 60 years
Therefore, if you have your horse’s best interests at heart, ask yourself with every thing you do with your horse, or every thing you demand if him;
“Is this really necessary?”
Especially when a horse shows resistance to the demanded task.
This is not to render you incapable of doing anything with your horse or guilt you into asking nothing of your horse.
On the contrary, it is to empower your decisions. Making sure they come from something you really want, something you have thought about whether you really want or need to do this and whether it will not harm your horse in any way.
I have found in over 30 years of training horses for others, that people are often focused on the things a horse CANNOT do.
But are these things really necessary?
I am not talking of opening the mouth for the vet or having the feet trimmed. These things are of course necessary.
Can we, however, focus on what the horse CAN do?
Maybe there are a lot of things your horse can and wants to do, that you never thought off and are equally fun and satisfying for both.
Start thinking in (new) possibilities instead of obstacles 😊
People often tell me, they don’t want to do certain things but they do it, because they think that it is expected of them, while they know their horse actually hates it.
Just by asking yourself that question, emperor Aurelius asked himself to be able to run an empire, you can decide what is best for you and your horse.
When others ask you why do not do certain things you can reply: “Because it is not necessary to do them”.
Horses do not owe us humans anything.
On the contrary, we owe them 6,000 years of service. We have the means now, to repay them, simply by allowing them their basic needs and working with them in a way that can be fun for them and not harm them.
We can start repaying them the next 6,000 years.
Let us all start today!
X
Josepha
*Article by Josepha Guillaume*
#josephaguillaume #yellowhorserevolution #dressageinhand #horses #equestriansports #horsewelfare
© All rights reserved Josepha Guillaume - Dressage in Hand
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