From my personal experience, The Equestrian world can feel a bit like a high school playground. Everyone splits into their own groups and rarely allows “outsiders” in.
I’ve seen trainers – and their followers – turn into almost cult-like groups which can feel unwelcoming, a bit high and mighty and resistant to change or influence.
Sound familiar?
One of my own personal philosophies is to always have an open mind. I like to take influence and ideas from MULTIPLE sources. Then, I can incorporate the parts that I like and understand into my own training, coaching and ways of thinking in the ways that feels most aligned to me.
We’d be pretty naïve to think that we could ever know everything about horses! So how could one single person or one single method possibly be “the right way”?
And your ways of thinking/training/riding are allowed to CHANGE!
“Once you know better, be better”. Just because you’ve always done something one way doesn’t mean that you have to do it forever!
Learning from others, gaining more insight and understanding different principles helps you grow and develop in your own ways of working.
You might have a had a lesson with a trainer that everyone else has been using at the yard, who’s told you their way of doing things… but it just didn’t feel quite right to you. Maybe your horse felt uneasy or deep down you knew in your gut that you’d prefer to do something a different way. But everyone else loves them…? Or, you might have watched a trainer you’ve never heard of before work with a horse and whilst watching you felt ecstatic, intrigued and like you’ve had a “eureka” moment. Which way would you rather incorporate into your riding? I’d imagine the later.
So,
Are you old school? “it’s always been done so that’s what I’m doing!”
Or do you like to try new things? “I’m open to new ideas but I’ll take from them what feels right to me”
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