Be weird by Don Jessop
Stop trying to be perfect already and just be willing to be weird. Cause a horse that can’t handle weird, NEEDS to handle weird, so they are safer, braver, more independent of thought and not leaning on instinct to guide their experience. Or worse, relying on you to be perfect so as not to upset them.
This blog post is me, giving you permission, no…, demanding that you need to be weird. Be bumpy, inelegant, off timing, poor in your delivery. Teach your horse to be okay with it.
Then… and this is important. So re-read this if you need.
Then… also practice being perfect.
WHAT??????
Did I just say the opposite of what I just said before? Yes I did!
Mastery with horses is not about being one thing. It’s about being able to be many things. I can certainly deliver my information to a horse with elegance and poise. And that’s important. There are folks out there who have no problem being “weird” and they take an article like this as justification for always being weird. But that’s just the one side of the mastery coin. Learning to let go, let your guard down a bit. Being eccentric and silly. It’s all extremely valuable and if you don’t have it, your missing WAY more than you know. But if you have it and you’re not also practicing elegance and precision and poise, you are also missing half the puzzle.
So don’t get me wrong. I want you to be weird, but if you’re already capable and find it easy to be silly, this article isn’t for you. Certainly share it with people who need it, but know this article is for people who are perfectionists all the time. People who stoically stand at their horses side with an “I own a horse” look rather than “I share my imperfections with this amazing partner on an extraordinary journey” look.
Here is some contrast. Remember. Not one is right. You need to be able to do both. If you can’t, your missing out on the majesty of the horse human experience and your horse will never truly experience the extraordinary feeling of precision work and play in balance.
Here’s the contrasting pictures:
Now. In summary. Go be weird!
Comments are most welcome and appreciated.
