Horsemanship vs. Humanship | Part II

I am sitting here listening to my horses chewing their hay, enjoying the nice cool morning with a cup of strong and bold black coffee from Schaefer Outfitters. I have so much to share with you folks, but trying to compartmentalize in a logical manner.

Let’s chat about positive thinking and visualization today. In addition to being a horseman, judge, trainer, and instructor, I’m also an accomplished hockey and baseball player. I didn’t get there from skill alone though. I learned by watching, listening, and studying those much better than myself. Wayne Gretzky, deemed the best hockey player in the NHL, said that he was not the best, but attributed his goal scoring to being where the puck was going to be, not where the puck was. Brooks Robinson and Graig Nettles, both top defensive 3rd basemen, knew where the ball was going to go by watching the pitch and not waiting for the ball to be hit. This thinking ahead can apply to virtually any sport. Positive and negative visualization is a thing! It is simply being proactive and not reactive. This is exactly where my success has come from. I’ve had to work long and hard at this. I am presently, and always will be, a student.

Here is a snippet of something I learned from a wise ol’ horseman. You can only move toward something, not away. Let’s pretend you and I are sitting and having a conversation. I tell you to not think of a red car. I then tell you to not think of a yellow ribbon on the red car. Then I tell you not to think of an orange cat sitting next to the car. Well, instantly, you’ve pictured a red car, a yellow ribbon, and an orange cat even though I told you not to. You can only move toward things. This is exactly what happens when someone is going to trailer his horse somewhere and says, “My horse probably won’t get on the trailer.” With that thinking and visualization, good chance he won’t. I’ve watched people trying desperately to walk a horse onto a trailer for 45 minutes when they “knew” the horse would not go on. I got involved and the horse was on in 5 minutes without any prodding. Horses know! I’m not anything special. I just think positive.

If you go into any situation with a positive attitude, your chances of success go up exponentially. What do you have to lose? Be positive. If you read my last article, being positive or negative is a choice no matter what you are doing. Saying “I can’t” is the same as negative visualization. The result will be the same.

When judging a show, I usually get to the show grounds early. I see people lead and stop their horses to look at “scary” things such as the judges’ booth, a rogue bush next to the ring, and anything else the human thinks will scare the horse and maybe lose out on a $.99 ribbon. What is going on there is that folks are showing their horses what to be afraid of. The person is actually visualizing for the horse what to be afraid of. In fairness to the rider, past falls from spooking incidents, horses bolting, etc. can be fear provoking. The more you expose your horse to, the better. I added a photo to show you the true meaning of exposure. The picture was taken at a stop in Kingman, Arizona. My mare is on the left. Ears are all up, horses are relaxed. None of them has ever seen a dinosaur before. Exposure! The more exposure you involve your horse in, the more your positive visualization will increase. If your horse does not like noise, download an mp3 or mp4 of different noises and turn up the volume while performing ringwork. Exposure!

So how does this all fit in to humanship/horsemanship? Very simple. The more you expose yourself or your child to, the more well-rounded the human becomes. The first time our daughter saw Santa and the Easter Bunny, there was screaming and tears. After that, clear sailing. Exposure to other strange elements came more easily. The more you expose your horse to, the more well-rounded your horse becomes.

Be positive, think positive, visualize positive!

Horsemanship vs. Humanship | Part II | Palmetto Bella

Picture of John Toli

John Toli

John has a lifelong relationship with horses. Well known in the equine industry, he has balanced his time training, instructing, judging, and teaching equine nutrition. John has worked for a nationally recognized feed company as well as serving as consultant to others. Prior to The Feed Geek, he managed New England Performance Nutrition, another equine nutrition consulting business. His guiding principle is a pure belief in the importance of balanced equine nutrition in regards to equine health and performance. John’s schooling included Texas A&M, Oregon State University, Kansas State, Purina Mills Equine Research Farm, and on-going equine nutrition based education. He has also spoken at conferences at Tufts University as well as in veterinary practices. John now owns The Feed Geek, Equine Nutrition Consulting. For more information, feel free to call him at 603.520.3875, email [email protected], or visit The Feed Geek on Facebook.
Picture of John Toli

John Toli

John has a lifelong relationship with horses. Well known in the equine industry, he has balanced his time training, instructing, judging, and teaching equine nutrition. John has worked for a nationally recognized feed company as well as serving as consultant to others. Prior to The Feed Geek, he managed New England Performance Nutrition, another equine nutrition consulting business. His guiding principle is a pure belief in the importance of balanced equine nutrition in regards to equine health and performance. John’s schooling included Texas A&M, Oregon State University, Kansas State, Purina Mills Equine Research Farm, and on-going equine nutrition based education. He has also spoken at conferences at Tufts University as well as in veterinary practices. John now owns The Feed Geek, Equine Nutrition Consulting. For more information, feel free to call him at 603.520.3875, email [email protected], or visit The Feed Geek on Facebook.

In the know

Related Stories

Contrology | A New Way To Move | Palmetto Bella

Contrology | A New Way To Move

After the frothy eggnog bowl is drained and the last Christmas cookie eaten, the results of neglecting physical activity during the holidays become a reality — a cold one. The New Year brings new beginnings, clean calendars, fresh starts, and a renewed dedication to health and wellness. If you jumped on the scale after holiday splurging, it’s time to weigh your options on how to get moving and burn some calories. I can hear you groaning, but just hear me out. The Dilemma COVID-19 restrictions impacted fitness facilities and numerous sporting events, which forced many to return to basic outside activities such as running, walking, and riding bicycles. The weather

Read More »
New Beginnings and Your Baby's Health | Palmetto Bella

New Beginnings and Your Baby’s Health

Infant nutrition is critical for ensuring proper development, maximizing learning capacity, and preventing illness. At no other time in life is nutrition so important. But which foods are best? Breastfeeding has proven to be best for infants for at least the first 3 – 6 months if mom is healthy and eating a nutrient-dense diet. Breastfed babies tend to be more robust, intelligent, and free of allergies and other complaints like intestinal difficulties. Other studies have shown that breastfed infants have reduced rates of respiratory illnesses and ear infections. Some researchers believe breastfed infants have greater academic potential than formula-fed infants; this is thought to be due to the fatty

Read More »
Online Personal Fitness Coaching: Can It Work for You? | Palmetto Bella

Online Personal Fitness Coaching: Can It Work for You?

Almost out of nowhere, COVID-19 happened upon us and the world has had to learn to pivot. Fast. And here we are, a year later, continuing to learn how to embrace a number of lifestyle modifications. Home-based fitness regimens have become a viable, if not a necessary, option.  Many people claim that having a gym membership keeps them accountable for working out once they have committed to sign-up fees and membership dues.  And some folks feel that having a workout destination motivates them to get out the door.  These are, of course, fair and valid reasons.  But times are changing, and many individuals are reconsidering how to navigate the fitness

Read More »
Traditions in the Time of Covid | Palmetto Bella

Traditions in the Time of Covid

Every family has traditions that mark special occasions, and how families handle them builds connections. We humans are amazing creatures of habit. We love the predictable and seek routine even though we frequently complain about being in a rut. We go on vacation only to long for home to sleep in our own beds, see our friends and family, and re-engage in our lives. Every nation, tribe, culture, and subculture establishes rituals and traditions that are unique and help define its individual, family, and group identity. Every family has traditions that mark special occasions, and how families handle them builds connections. One of the many casualties of the COVID restrictions

Read More »