What’s Your Super Power?

I have a question for you…

Do you ever wish you had a super power when it came to training your horse? That’s silly, right? There’s no such thing as a super power… Or is there?

My super power is knowledge… Sounds a little cliche, I know. But it really is…

I always encourage my students to be “thinking riders.” What does being a thinking rider mean, anyway?

It’s about LAVA.

Learn

Assess

Validate

Act

Learn

A thinking rider is a person who takes the initiative to learn – what, when, where, why & how? This applies just as much to training a horse as it does to learning to read, write or do arithmetic. What are we trying to accomplish? When would we like to accomplish this? Where will this be useful? Why do we want to accomplish this? And last, but not least, how can we accomplish this? All very important questions to ask that help to determine our true goals and motives for training our horse.

Learning is also about asking questions… Ask questions in your lessons even if you think you are going to sound dumb. If your instructor makes you feel bad for asking, then maybe it’s time to re-evaluate your choice of instructors. Questions are leading. They not only allow us to get answers, they also lead us to additional questions that dig a little deeper. Leading us to more knowledge.

Assess

A thinking rider will assess the information that is presented to them. They will evaluate whether that information aligns with their own beliefs and training style, their horse’s personality and their overall goals. Thinking riders will also assess the credibility of the source providing the information. With Google at our fingertips, it is very easy to get unreputable information. Sadly, the internet has made it very easy for self-proclaimed gurus to sell inaccurate information and poor training techniques because of it’s reach. Remember, the proof is in the results… Do their horses look happy, healthy and content? Can they answer your questions with facts? Can they back up their claims?

Validate

A thinking rider will validate the information they receive by considering the source, doing some fact checking and testing of their own before actually adopting the methods, thoughts and ideals of someone else. Does the technique work or information apply? Is it humane and in the best interest of the horse and rider? Does it make your relationship stronger? Does it promote longevity?

Act

A thinking rider acts every time that they are with their horse. They think ahead and come to the barn with a plan for their time. They look for opportunities to create the outcome that they desire. Every moment spent with your horse is an opportunity to deepen your bond and achieve results.

As you can see, knowledge is the foundation for becoming a thinking rider. The more you learn, the more tools you have to bring your horse along. This approach will help you to achieve your riding goals no matter what.

Think Deeper. Ride Better!