Senior Horsemanship - Tips to Help Us Enjoy Better Years with Horses and More of Them

The podcast opens with a quote from Mark Rashid from his book, Finding the Missed Path - The Art of Restarting Horses. Mark was describing the approach used by the old horseman he worked for as a youngster.

“In each case, the horse was always treated as an individual, focusing always on what the horse seemed to need at the time. By handling the horse’s real-time needs and not forcing him into a one-size-fits-all training program — the kind that has a tendency to disregard the horse’s individual issues — he was often able to develop a foundation of trust and understanding in a relatively short period of time. From there, rehabilitation and, ultimately, training, usually moved along rather smoothly, eventually leading to the horse becoming a solid and trustworthy mount for any potential new owner.”

Be a critical and creative evaluator of information and diverse approaches that meet the needs of your horse and meet your needs in the second half of life.

Recognize also that you may not have the skills or the time to respond to your horse’s issues. With that critical and creative evaluation of information may come the realization that you can’t be safe with your horse or that someone with more skills or time may be needed. It’s a hard decision to part with your horse, but sometimes it might be necessary. It might be the best decision for you and your horse.

The podcast also quotes Apple Founder Steve Jobs from his Stanford University commencement speech delivered in 2005.

If you'd like to donate to the Bluebonnet Humane Society Training Challenge you can learn more by visiting their website.

This episode begins with a quote from horseman, clinician and author Ross Jacobs, from his book, The Essence of Good Horsemanship.

"It’s easy to turn a horse’s brain off by drilling a particular exercise over and over, or by putting it in a no-win situation, where trying seems futile. Mixing up the work and always making sure each exercise finishes with a horse feeling more relaxed, has a lot to do with keeping a horse’s focus, irrespective of the age."

After being thrown and bucked off a couple of times I turned to groundwork for a fix. It was supposed to train my horse and seemed safer.

Instead, the drilling caused increasing tension, which was demonstrated by bucking in the round pen. Advice from clinicians only increased the problem.

A creative solution stopped the bucking, and the tension, and provided a new path forward for me and my horse.

If your horse is getting more tense during your groundwork exercises, it may be time to head in a different direction. Stay safe and stay relaxed as you work with your horse.

If you'd like to learn more about the Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society Training Challenge, please click this link.

Here's a link to our website, SecondHalfHorsemanship.com.

Thanks for listening!

The episode starts with a brief quote from horseman, clinician and trainer, Buck Brannaman. I think the quote if from his 7 Clinics with Buck Brannaman set of DVDs.

Time is the gift
Give it freely to your horse
And you will both be the better for it.

Time is a gift to yourself and your horse.  It's difficult or impossible to make progress toward better horsemanship and a more trusting relationship if you don't have much time with your horse.

I also include a quote from Ryan Holiday from his book, The Daily Stoic.

Do you ever wonder how you can get some of your time back, how you can feel less busy? Start by learning the power of “No!” — as in “No, thank you,” and “No, I’m not going to get caught up in that,” and “No, I just can’t right now.”

Your horse is asking you to say no to some of the other stuff in your life.  To the extent possible, give the gift of time to yourself and your horse.  As Buck says, you’ll both be the better for it.

The podcast opens with a quote from horsewoman and clinician Crissy McDonald from her book Getting Along with Horses - An Evolution in Understanding.

Understanding horses and our own horse, gives us an opportunity to experience life from a different species’ point of view.  How exciting is that? It means we recognize how different horse are from us, and yet how much they are the same. It means not taking anyone’s word that an approach works but rather exploring it with your horse. It means — and this is where I get excited all over again — a lifetime of learning.

Exploring different approaches with your horse, experimenting with training methods, and being creative in applying various concepts uses that strength of the second half of life. That's the crystallized intelligence that we discussed in an earlier podcast.  What could be a better horsemanship experience than a lifetime of learning with your horse.

The podcast begins with a quote from Australian horseman, Tom Roberts.

"If you are fond of a horse and wish to do him a favor, train him well. Teach him good manners, good habits, both in the stable and under saddle. You need never worry about the future of such a horse if for any reason, you may have to part with him. You assure him of friends wherever he goes. Perhaps the greatest kindness you can do any horse is to educate him well."

I've been a volunteer for Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society for about six years.  Many of the horses that come into rescue have either had little training or the training stopped years ago.  Bluebonnet holds a training challenge to match amateur and professional trainers with these rescued horses to provide the horses with the good manners and good habits they need for a fresh start in life.

As horsewomen and horsemen in the second half of life, we want to perform that greatest kindness and educate our horses well.  We want to do what we can to ensure a good future for our horse if for some reason we have to part with him.

This Tom Roberts and Bluebonnet goal is one of the primary goals I have for horsemanship in the second half of life.  I hope you consider it for your horses.

Please click this link if you're interested in donating to Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society or the Bluebonnet Training Challenge.  Thank you for your support.

So: Copy your heroes. Examine where you fall short. What’s in there that makes you different? That’s what you should amplify and transform into your own work.

In the end, merely imitating your heroes is not flattering them. Transforming their work into something of your own is how you flatter them. Adding something to the world that only you can.

This is a quote from the book, Steal Like an Artist — Ten Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative, by Austin Kleon.

Whether we're lifelong horsewomen and horsemen or we just got started in the second half of life, we gravitate toward heroes.  These are the instructors, clinicians, authors and video makers that offer guidance for helping us and our horses along the path toward better horsemanship.

But we should recognize that horsemanship is a creative process.  It's an art.  Xenophon wrote, The Art of Horsemanship, not Ten Steps to Horsemanship Mastery. We serve ourselves, our horses and our heroes if we imitate that which works for ourselves and our horses and transform our heroes' work as needed if it doesn't fit. 

The language of the first half of life and the language of the second half of life are almost two different vocabularies, known only for those who've been in both of them. The advantage of those on the further journey is that they can still remember and respect the first language and task. They have transcended, but also included all that went before. In fact, if you cannot include and integrate the wisdom of the first half of life, I doubt if you have moved to the second. Never throw out the baby with the bath water. People who know how to creatively break the rules also know why the rules were there in the first place. They are not mere iconoclasts or rebels.

This is a quote from the audiobook, Falling Upward, A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life, by Father Richard Rohr.  The quote is read by Father Rohr.

We have to move through the first half of life and use that knowledge to transition successfully to the second half of life.  In our horsemanship, we can use the information and experience we've gathered in the first half of life, to integrate into the wisdom guiding our horsemanship in the second half.

Thanks for listening to the Second Half Horsemanship Podcast.  If you’re also on the second half horsemanship journey, please leave a comment on our website, secondhalfhorsemanship.com. We’re always looking for topic and interview ideas.

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Science tell us that our fluid intelligence declines after mid-life, but our crystallized intelligence grows.  In his book, From Strength to Strength — Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, Arthur C. Brooks, PhD, tells us that crystallized intelligence is associated with “combining and utilizing complex ideas”.  In the second half of life people get better “at using the concepts they know and expressing them to others”.  They also get better at “interpreting the ideas that others have”.

So we can continue on the path to better horsemanship in the second half of life by using our crystallized intelligence to analyze and combine the horsemanship ideas and other knowledge we've gained through our life.

What about second half of life outlook? In his book Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life, How to Finally, Really Grow Up, James Hollis, PhD, says the following.

"For those willing to stand in the heat of this transformational fire, the second half of life provides a shot at getting themselves back again. They might still fondly gaze at the old world, but they risk engaging a larger world, one more complex, less safe, more challenging, the one that is already irresistibly hurtling toward them."

In the second half of life, your ego enables you to examine your life and your horsemanship and make changes. You don’t grade your horsemanship by the standards of others.  You evaluate your horsemanship by what is required to strengthen the bonds of trust and confidence between you and your horse.

Finally, let's think about a quote from Joan Chittister, in her book The Gift of Years, Growing Older Gracefully. 

"Age is meant for the revival of the spirit. Age is meant to allow us to play — with ideas, with projects, with friends, with life."

As a second half horsewoman or horseman, may you play with ideas, projects, friends, your horse and life.

When I use links to books, products and services in the podcast, some of those links might be referral links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I earn a small commission when you purchase something through those links, but you will not be charged more by using the links.

If you enjoyed the podcast, please leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts.  Your reviews help the podcast reach a larger audience.

Thank you very much!

One of the Buck Brannaman quotes that's stuck in my mind for years is the following from Buck the Movie.

"Ray Hunt used to say, When you’re younger, you ride with 90% physical and 10% mental. But if you could learn how to use 90% mental and 10% physical you’d be better off."

That's what we're doing in Second Half Horsemanship.  We're learning how to use more mind than muscle on the path toward better horsemanship.

In his book, The Faraway Horses, Buck describes how traits like passion, a willingness to study and sensitivity are essential to progress as horsemen and horsewomen.  These are all characteristics we can develop in the second halves of our lives.

For more information about Second Half Horsemanship, please visit our website at 2ndhalfhorsemanship.com.

Legendary horseman, Tom Dorrance, was talking about trust when he wrote the following in his book, True Unity - Willing Communication Between Horse and Human.

Some people will ride a horse as long as the horse lives and they will never get what I try to get as early as I can, for a foundation. I don’t mean that I’m trying to get everything completed, but to get enough there to where if the horse gets troubled he will come to me; or to where I can get to him to come to me for security and cover. Without that foundation I feel very insecure with a horse.

Better horsemanship in the second half of life begins with that foundation of trust between horse and human.  If you have it working for you, there is much you can accomplish with your horse.  If the trust isn't there, you won't accomplish much.

In this podcast, Paul talks about an incident that demonstrated a trusting relationship between a three year old horse and his 12 year old rider.

When I use links to books, products and services in the podcast, some of those links might be referral links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I earn a small commission when you purchase something through those links, but you will not be charged more by using the links.

Visit our website for more ideas related to better horsemanship in the second half of life.