Relationship building…the unchosen path.
Building relationships requires some amount of focused time. I’ve observed this with both horses and humans. Here is an excerpt from yesterdays podcast,
“Now, there is another way that I have seen people build relationship with their horses and you might run into it, but it is not one you would typically choose, but it also illustrates relationship building kind of well.
I’ve had horses that get sick or injured and I have found that I then spend a lot of time with my horses. And what’s really fascinating, if you think about it, if you’ve got a horse that gets injured, you often spend very focused time with them.
Now you’re out in the barn, you’re clearly not going after show or trail riding goals, you’re just nursing this horse back to health. And let’s just say the horse has to have stall rest and hand walking. You know what happens? A lot of time spent with a very specific goal of getting them better and lots of little steps that you’re vet or farrier or a combination of both gave you.
And you know what’s really interesting? Oftentimes the relationship with your horse grows during that moment because, like it or not, you got a very specific set of conditions, a goal, lots of steps, and time on a regular basis with your horse. Now, personally, I’d rather set more fun goals than nursing the injured horse back.”
Injuries and sickness are not things I want to sign up for…but they might have lessons they can teach us. We are often consistent, compassionate, and epithetic while also insisting that the sick or injured horse complies with the prescribed treatment.
Imagine if we approached our training sessions with that same thinking.
Want to hear me discuss this in detail? Click here to visit the podcast mentioned.
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What is a podcast? How can I listen?
A podcast is like listening to your favorite radio program…but on demand.
Like Netflix for your ears.
You pick the subject (horses for example) and you listen when you choose.
Podcasts are convenient because you don’t have to look at a screen.
I like to listen while I drive, clean stalls, and exercise.
At this point I’ve recorded over 100 episodes, all packed with content and TOTALLY FREE!
Listen to this review from iTunes: “I like podcasts but this one is my absolute favorite. Stacy is generous with her knowledge and practice. You can learn so much! Thank you Stacy for teaching us how to train, ride, enjoy and LOVE our horses the way they deserve!”
How to listen
If you want to give it a try you can listen straight from my website but the best thing to do is to download them on your smartphone app. (Instructions for apps below my signature and on website)
Here is a link to a recent listener favorite: https://stacywestfall.com/episode-100-the-horses-that-have-taught-me/
Once you click this link, look for the play arrow and click to listen.
If you are already a listener…or you become a listener…I’m currently running a contest to celebrate two years of podcasting!
Entering is easy.
If you have an iPhone you already have a podcast app on your phone. It is a purple icon. Open the app and search Stacy Westfall. Subscribe and you can hear them all!
On an android phone you’ll need to download an app like google podcast or stitcher. I have easy links to these on my website StacyWestfall .com
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WHY IS MY HORSE...?
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No one taught you the skills you need to work through these things.
Riders often encounter self-doubt, fear, anxiety, frustration, and other challenging emotions at the barn. The emotions coursing through your body can add clarity, or can make your cues indistinguishable for your horse.
Learning these skills and begin communicating clearly with your horse.
Click here to learn more.