What does McDonald’s have to do with horse training? Well, lets look at this as a thought.
I watched a documentary the other day on the health benefits of juicing. By juicing I mean the process of using a juicer to extract the juice from fruits and veggies to drink. The theory is that you can juice MANY veggies and reduce them to just a few glasses of juice, drink that, thereby receiving the health benefits of eating a very large amount of veggies and fruit.
I do believe that juicing works. And that it has all of the health benefits it describes.
But do you know what I did with this information? I stressed myself out. I found myself in the grocery store looking at veggies and thinking ‘if it is not organic I won’t buy it.’
Then I caught myself. Why is it that I tend to swing so far? Why do I go from ‘pre-packaged junk food’ to ‘organic or bust’? Why not start slowly start improving?
Do you find this thought process in your life? Do you have this habit in your horsemanship?
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Yes! In fact I have been thinking a lot about this the last few days. The filly I am breaking out this semester is doing great but I started to see that she was really black and white, either riding like a dream or fighting my cues and being hard. That is when I talked to an Instructor and realized that I was being really black and white. I need to have more feel and be thankful for the little moments of try, which in turn makes Heaven a much happier horse 🙂
Juicing tosses out the best part of the fruit/veggie…as noted by another writer. It may retain some vitamins, but mostly you get the sugar and calories without feeling full satiated. And all that sugar gets dumped into your system quickly raising your glucose/insulin levels….which plummet and make you feel crappy within a few hours 🙁 As a physician, I just can’t recommend juicing except as a treat. It’s kinda like feeding horses all grain, rather than hay.
Stacy,
Did you ever see this? I’ve seen it in 2 horses now. Horse-A is brought in to the barn twice a day for his grain. Horse-B (My Grringo being the latest) stays out, getting only hay.
When I slide the door open and call horse-A, horse-B, ears back, goes into a cutting routine trying to prevent horse A from getting into the barn. Wish I could get it on video.
Bill Swart
Yes I have seen that! If you get it on video please send me a copy.
Stacy,
Love your stuff. Your latest brings to mind a philosophical tenet me wife & I learned to apply early on.. If you just can’t bring yourself to clean the bathroom this week, don’t. Just clean the sink. And y’know what often happens? Well, as long as I’m here . . .
Bill Swart
All or nothing pattern- I tend to do it in many areas of my life and have really been working on breaking that old pattern. Each horse is different and has differnt needs. I can take all the knowlege I have gained from reading, clinics, videos etc and it does not have to be only one -I can take what works from each person, article etc. Patience and slowing down are things I want to work on. I have definatly noticed the all or nothing with the horses- I had such issues with discipine was so worried about hurting the horse ( steve rother kindly pointed out to me at a clinic that I was worried about the horse having to run and not at all concerned that the horses had dumped my husband on the ground ) that I let them walk all over me so I went to you have to listen to me and it did not feel right- now I am going to baby steps and raising my expectations and asking for respect and trying to slow down and remember steves advice to look for the try!!
Does juicing make it easier to get a full serving of veggies? Is it more convenient? Truth be told, you may get all of the nutrition from the veggies this way, but, don’t forget that the fiber in those veggies can be equally as important. Especially since it slows the absorption of the nutrients in a healthy way. Same can be applied to horses, as you say. If we take shortcuts, we may get things done faster, but, we may miss some very important building blocks along the way. Funny how there are parallels in life, where you least expect them!
it’s not about stressing yourself out; it’s about using your power of choice–as always.
try making the best choice in a situation without stressing.
one thing that can relieve the stress is knowing that although there are consequences to every choice, a less bad or less good choice once in a while won’t make or break you.
i still strive to make the best choices in any given moment.
I dunno, I don’t have so much a problem with changing than with staying that way, I would probably slip back after a few days if I didn’t have someone else constantly motivating me. Definitely do the juice thing though, for one it is good for you, and second, it tastes good!!!!
I love freshly pressed/ made juice, but taking the time and enjoying to eat the real thing, you will benefit in long run way better from.
This is for healthy eating habits and the real life including our tails!!! 🙂
Thanks for those blogs, I get so much from them!
i am amazed by how much I rush things. I recently realized that my mare was really overreacting to any cues behind the girth. I realized she always overreacted and had a very bad habit of kicking out any time she was touched under her belly or cued behind the girth. I had really skipped over desensitizing her over that whole area. I am now spending time going back and each morning during a.m. grooming really touching rubbing and brushing all around that area. Its been 4 days and I already see that she is getting better. I tend to be a ‘researcher’ I spend a lot of time reading up and getting things down before I practice , the only thing is my horse, or my children or my husband for that matter, don’t read everything I have been. I forget they need to come along in little steps I need to slow down and be patient and let them come at their own pace. i am always struck by your patience Stacy, especially in the video clips. Your patience and your confidence, or is it your faith, that they will come along. Probably its both. Thanks for the thoughtful advice.
Great question Stacy~
I am enjoying your blog so much for the way that you relate life issues to horse training.Most people think I’m a nut when I tell them that some of the most valuable lessons in life have been learned from my colt or my dogs!
I can’t agree with you more on taking “baby” steps towards something.So often ,as with your comments on “doors” we can get in a rush and really miss the key points of any lesson in life.I have found that consistancy and preserverance are key to any endevor.We can never have anything of real substance we want in life right NOW without some effort,patience,and work on our parts.As I remind myself of that,I I have found a new patience and kindness towards myself and others.
Another key I have found in uncovering the more hidden aspects of things lays in my ability(or inability) to give.I,Like my horse must learn slowly to yeild to the possitive pressures of life and be kind enough to “ME”, to “LET” God show me what he has for me in ANY given situation.Pushing and shoving my way along never really works !
I find this to be true in my life but only when I’m dieting or trying to break an old habbit. Now for my horses, When I had a lack of knowledge, I would find myself rush through things doing it once and then giving up before I got the result I wanted. Once I took a different approch, by watching and listening to what the animal had to say was when I really started to learn, I am still not the best teacher for I lack confidecne in a lot of area.
But in having said all that, it made we wonder if a person were to takes some of that juice from that juicer and pour it into a bucket feed it to the horses, watch the reaction for then and then decide how much energy do we want and is just eatting a well balanced diet way better as awesome trainer would give there student there knowledge. Just some food for though.