HI Spy: Lessons Learned

What is the most important thing you???ve learned from horses?

2-Jun-12

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When you decided to get involved in horses, you probably assumed you would learn how to ride and maybe a thing or two about equine care. It’s true that the horses can teach you as much as your human riding instructor, but they can teach you much more than just how to ride.

Horses teach patience. If you try to rush to the finish line of a training goal, you’ll likely find yourself having to redo it, and it will take twice as long the second time around. Horses teach us to be focused. If you let your mind wander while you’re working with horses, there is always one who will take advantage of your inattentiveness. They teach us compassion. Treat a horse with aggression and you’ll get an unpleasant experience every time you get in the saddle, but treat a horse with kindness, and eventually it will pay off.

This month, we want you to tell us the most important lesson you’ve learned from horses. Tell us about the one horse that brought you to a breakthrough in your riding or how your involvement with horses in general helped you learn a valuable life lesson. Click “Submit a Comment” below and share your story. Some of the answers may be selected for a future issue of Horse Illustrated.

One selected response may be selected by the editors to win a monthly prize! If you would like to be eligible for the prize, please include your email address in the comment form (email addresses are not publicly displayed.)

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HI Spy: Lessons Learned

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Felicia    Boonville, IN 12/10/2012 8:22:54 AM I've had many close calls with horses throughout the years. But with every experience, I've learned important life lessons. The best thing that horses have taught me is patience and acceptance. Every horse is unique and leanrs at a different pace. When teaching and working with horses you must be willing to give them your full heart and help them every step of the way. Horses cannot read minds, and neither can you. Learn to slow down with the heartbeat of your companion and accept him for who he is. Teach him about doing things together as a team and he'll show you all the importance of life. Yaroslava    Potomac, MD 12/8/2012 12:04:19 PM I learned that horses are the best animals on Earth and that they should all be treated with outmost respect and care, and most importantly LOVE! That's why, whenever I ride horses, I try to praise them as much as possible to show that I care about them. Tesla    Western, NC 12/3/2012 5:22:51 PM The biggest thing that I have learned with my experience with horses is that if there is no bond of trust and friendship between you and your equine partner then it is 10 times harder to try and achieve your dreams. Lacie    Brookwood, AL 11/17/2012 7:07:36 PM My lesson horse has taught me that horses will always be there for you even when your so called human friends are not.