Shari
IsItFridayYet?
I'll be the first to admit I'm a simpleton. The cheesiest/simplest things make an impression on me.
I am on target to get back on my horse in May. But, considering he will not have been ridden in over 6 months by that time, and I will be limited to very easy riding, it was strongly suggested I get a "tune up" on him before I get on. So, while I was stuck in that chair all winter, I did some research and made some phone calls, and a couple weeks ago, I bit the bullet and took my horse to a shooting horse trainer - we'll do a tune-up and an enhancement all at the same time.
This guy is a national champion. He's been to the worlds. He makes his living training all around ranch horses and shooting horses. And he makes a good living. He has at least 1 hired hand. When we were there, he had 27 horses...some were his being trained to be sold, 1 was the horse he went to worlds on, many were there being trained for other people. Anyway, I say all this because this is his job. Its how he puts food on his table. If I rode 20 horses every singe day, even I would probably be sick of it at 5pm (tho I know his day doesn't end at 5).
The first thing that impressed me with this guy was how he spent time to really understand the horse and its rider when we first met with him. He didn't stand to make a dime at that point, but he spent 3 hours with me and the horse before he decided that a) my horse will make a shooting horse and b) he could be made a super-quiet shooting horse to start off with (I've never been a "quiet" rider - if you can imagine - but I need a quiet horse when I am allowed to get back on in May).
But since then, he has texted me at least once a week since he's had my horse. Usually includes a photo and a short blurb of what their "workout" is going to be for that day.
Even tho he's a top trainer and turns out some drop-jaw amazing horses, he really knows my key to getting back on is a calm, quiet, easy horse. Its not about speed. Its about calm. The speed will come back later. This past week, he's had an 8 year old riding my horse with him and he just sent me a photo of this young man, with his little sister on behind him, crossing a creek on my horse. The message was "he's doing great - super quiet and taking it all like a champ".
This just hits me where it hurts. This man makes his name by training top horses. He makes his living by riding horses all day every day. Yet he still obviously loves them, and he has the time to train a horse that will never be in the nationals or the worlds. It will never make a name for him, I'm just a pee-on participating in a sport for fun - not awards and rewards. AND he has time to stop and send me quick updates on their progress.
Maybe I'm just mushy, but it suggests to me that there are still really good people left in this world. And I think its just really, really cool.
I am on target to get back on my horse in May. But, considering he will not have been ridden in over 6 months by that time, and I will be limited to very easy riding, it was strongly suggested I get a "tune up" on him before I get on. So, while I was stuck in that chair all winter, I did some research and made some phone calls, and a couple weeks ago, I bit the bullet and took my horse to a shooting horse trainer - we'll do a tune-up and an enhancement all at the same time.
This guy is a national champion. He's been to the worlds. He makes his living training all around ranch horses and shooting horses. And he makes a good living. He has at least 1 hired hand. When we were there, he had 27 horses...some were his being trained to be sold, 1 was the horse he went to worlds on, many were there being trained for other people. Anyway, I say all this because this is his job. Its how he puts food on his table. If I rode 20 horses every singe day, even I would probably be sick of it at 5pm (tho I know his day doesn't end at 5).
The first thing that impressed me with this guy was how he spent time to really understand the horse and its rider when we first met with him. He didn't stand to make a dime at that point, but he spent 3 hours with me and the horse before he decided that a) my horse will make a shooting horse and b) he could be made a super-quiet shooting horse to start off with (I've never been a "quiet" rider - if you can imagine - but I need a quiet horse when I am allowed to get back on in May).
But since then, he has texted me at least once a week since he's had my horse. Usually includes a photo and a short blurb of what their "workout" is going to be for that day.
Even tho he's a top trainer and turns out some drop-jaw amazing horses, he really knows my key to getting back on is a calm, quiet, easy horse. Its not about speed. Its about calm. The speed will come back later. This past week, he's had an 8 year old riding my horse with him and he just sent me a photo of this young man, with his little sister on behind him, crossing a creek on my horse. The message was "he's doing great - super quiet and taking it all like a champ".
This just hits me where it hurts. This man makes his name by training top horses. He makes his living by riding horses all day every day. Yet he still obviously loves them, and he has the time to train a horse that will never be in the nationals or the worlds. It will never make a name for him, I'm just a pee-on participating in a sport for fun - not awards and rewards. AND he has time to stop and send me quick updates on their progress.
Maybe I'm just mushy, but it suggests to me that there are still really good people left in this world. And I think its just really, really cool.