Horses are like a drug, you either get bitten by the horse bug or you don't.
I was fortunate enough to get bitten with the horse bug and now there is no going back...
I have been around a lot of horse people and one thing all horse people have in common is that they are all crazy! But, all horse people are crazy in their own ways.
Just like anything, there are levels to horsemanship.
There are average everyday trail riders that just show up to feed their horses carrots and ride their horse for an hour a couple of days per week, and there are people that eat, sleep, and breathe horses to the various different disciplines in the equine world.
I have always found that true genuine horsemanship comes from being able to actually understand horses and their nature, what they were designed to do, and how humans are able to bond with them.
There is a deep rooted connection humans have to horses - after-all, we evolved with these animals for millions of years and eventually just started jumping on them and riding them across the world to get places.
What I have found working with horses is genuine peace.
Sure, there are days as a horse trainer where I would rather show up and just ride my horse than have to ride someone else's donkey, but the neat thing about horses is that they are all different - they are just like people in this regard.
Horses have different personalities just like people do. Some learn fast, some learn slow, some are stubborn as hell, some are completely nonathletic, and some are the Michael Jordan's in terms of athleticism.
The best part about working with many different horses is learning that horses strengths and weaknesses, and tailoring your training sessions to accommodate them.
This allows you to keep yourself on your toes and always be open to learning new information - listen to what the horse is trying to tell you.
There are horseman out there that are true wizards when it comes to training horses. Mastery only comes with experience, but there is also a level of talent for some of the best horseman - particularly with their feel and timing.
One thing I always loved about training horses, especially young horses, is there is always a degree of uncertainty - you never truly know what is going to happen that day. You just have to adapt to the situation and act accordingly.
That degree of uncertainty is what either makes you love horses, or have them scare the shit out of you.
I have seen people quit horses all together because they couldn't help but get anxious every time they mounted. That nervousness and lack of confidence is something that every horse can feel.
The reality is, most average people with horses are scared shitless of their own horses, simply because they feel they have no control if the unknown were to happen.
People that know horses, adapt and act accordingly. But this also comes with a degree of confidence - confidence in your ability and your knowledge to gain control and work through whatever sticky situation you and your horse find yourselves in.
I find many parallels in life for humans by working with horses.
It is true that most people feel as if they have no control over their own lives and that is simply due to a lack of confidence.
Most peoples reality is shaped by their external environment with every thing going on around them and completely forget how to work through things internally, so that they can build their confidence and live a life worth living.
It's as if people are scared of the unknown, the same way people are scared of their horses.
It is fear that makes people anxious.
It is fear that makes people never want to try new things.
It is fear that allows people to be comfortable being average.
I have learned that fear of the unknown is just a part of life and is something that we just need to accept.
How could I ever expect to live a good life if I am afraid of risk or getting hurt?
Getting hurt and going through pain is just a part of life.
I have been kicked, bitten, head-butted, bucked, and almost had my head shit on by 1100lb animals - it is just part of it. If I cannot accept that this is just a part of working with horses, then I will never be a good horseman - and like everything for me that I want to be good at in life, I want to be great at it!
There is always going to be a level of risk involved in anything that you do, whether you're getting a new job, starting a business, dating someone new, etc.
If you clam up and would rather not take the risk and "play it safe" because you are afraid of getting hurt, then you will live a life of anxiety, lack of fulfillment, and mediocrity.
Life is supposed to be enjoyed and the only way one can truly find peace in life is to take the risk, try new things, and accept the fact that pain and setbacks are just a part of life.
The only way we learn as humans is to adapt and act accordingly - there are lessons to be learned from everything that has happened to you in life. The key is to identify them as lessons and use those lessons to make you stronger, not weaker and afraid.
Taking the risk is always going to work out in your favor if you choose to view it as such.
Remember, God is always watching and he is very giving to those who choose to live their lives from a place of strength and positivity. Fear and anxiety is the work of the Devil - it is that voice in your head telling you not to do things because you will just end up hurt as a result.