38/ OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017 THE RIDER


“You’ll Ruin Your Horse!”


By Kathy Farrokhzad If you’ve been in horses


and riding even for just a while, you’ve probably already heard someone say that about how someone is riding their horse. Or they may have even said it about you and your horse. The theory is that you can


“wreck” your horse if you ride poorly. If you do something wrong long enough, your horse will forever be negatively af- fected, develop bad habits and never, ever go properly after that.


I suppose it can be true. If


you are not interested at all in developing your skills, and you do the same terrible thing over and over for an extended period of time (expecting a different result, perhaps?)... then yes, your horse will likely be ruined as long as he remains in those circumstances.


HOWEVER. Let’s say you’re not trying


to hurt the horse. And despite


your best efforts, you are still having trouble with a fundamental skill - for ex- ample, you put your horse too much on the forehand. And you’re getting negative feedback from your horse: tail swishes, hollow back, pinned ears. And you know it, and you’re doing some- thing about it. The trouble is that it


will likely take a long time to change your bad habit, or develop that new skill (or likely, set of skills). What then? The horse will


surely go through this tough time with you. Will you actually ruin your


horse? My answer is: no! Here’s why.


Same Horse, Different Riders The horse can only go as


well as you can. This is why you might see the same lesson horse go so much better for a


more experienced rider than a novice. Even if the horse is “ru- ined” by one rider, the next rider can help the horse find the stability he needs. Soon enough, the tension and apprehension caused by the first rider will be eliminated. So it stands to reason that


once you get through that learn- ing curve, your horse will go back to being that same happy horse - only better. But you have to learn the skills first.


You Have To Learn At Some Point The reality is that no mat-


ter how hard you try, your learn- ing curve will negatively affect the horse. You have to develop timing, coordination, probably core strength, independence of aids - all over again for each new circumstance. These learn- ing stages have to happen if you are to progress. And they will negatively


affect even the most educated horse.


My suggestion is to take


note of the horse’s feedback, work to improve your skill set, and beg for forgiveness from your horse. :-)


What To Do? Here are some ideas if you


feel like you’re in a bind. Get help from a knowl-


edgeable instructor. If


you’ve read my blog regu- larly, you’ll know that I al- ways start here. There is no replacement for an “edu- cated eye on the ground” who can give you ideas, teach you skills and make suggestions you might not even know about.


Be prepared to “study.” The concept of studying might be rare these days in equestrian circles, but there is no other way. Read,


watch videos, audit clinics, watch lessons, set goals, and ride in lessons. Immerse your- self in learning.


Get a more experienced rider/trainer to ride your horse. This person can help the


horse work well and stay calm mentally. She might even be able to teach your horse some- thing he needs to know. Watch and learn what the rider is doing that may be different from what you are doing. Take mental notes and try to duplicate when you ride.


Be patient, especially during the worst times. Cut yourself (and your


horse) some slack. Learning


takes time. Mistakes have to be made. Do everything you can to reduce the duration and fre- quency of the mistakes, but know that there is a better time waiting for you ahead.


Practice consistently. This means getting out to


ride as often as you can. You have to ride regularly in order to develop new muscle memory. Just one extra ride a week will make a huge difference in your learning curve. The thing is, every ounce


of effort you put into becoming a better rider is an investment in yourself. Every horse that you ride after you have consolidated a skill set will benefit. There re- ally is no other answer. Don’t be afraid of ruining your horse. In- stead, put all your energy into improving yourself!


Bio: Kathy Farrokhzad is an EC coach and author of the Horse Listening book collection. New! Five Years of Horse Lis- tening, an anniversary compila- tion book of the top 20 articles from the blog. If you liked what you read here, check out her blog


at


www.HorseListening.com for many more articles about horses, riding and life in gen- eral.


American Horse Council Makes Changes to Governance Structure


Changes to Take Place in 2018


(Washington, DC)-American Horse Council (AHC) President Julie Broadway and the AHC Board of Trustees are pleased to announce


two governance


changes to the AHC’s Board ef- fective 2018. The current 15-person


Board of Trustees of the AHC is made up of individuals represent- ing organizations that hold AHC Organizational Memberships at the “Strategic” level*. These or- ganizations include The Jockey Club, American Association of Equine Practitioners, National Thoroughbred Racing Associa- tion, US Trotting Association, US Equestrian Federation, Thorough- bred Racing Association of North America, and the American Quar- ter Horse Association. Starting in January 2018, the AHC Board will add two “at large” seats. The first “at large” seat


will be filled by the current Chair of the Coalition of State Horse Councils. The second “at large”


seat will be determined by appli- cations.


In January the AHC


President will call for applicants for the second “at large” seat from current AHC member organiza- tions to serve a maximum two year term on the AHC Board. Only member organizations pay- ing dues at the level designated for their size organization are eli- gible. Applicant’s organization must be willing to commit to the time needed to serve on the board and cover expenses necessary to attend meetings, etc. In March the Board


will review all applicants and elect a trustee based upon: 1) the need for that sector of industry to have a voice not currently repre- sented by sitting trustees, and 2) the individual’s background and knowledge of the equine industry. AHC President Julie


Broadway stated “As part of the AHC’s strategic plan, a task force was formed to review the organi- zation’s overall governance struc- ture and ensure relevancy and


best practices. Based upon their research it was recommended that additional voices and perspec- tives would be beneficial. We look forward to these additions to the board and would like to ex- press our appreciation to the Gov- ernance Task Force


and


Membership Task Force for their research and input.” AHC Board Chair, Dr.


Jerry Black, added “As the na- tional organization representing the equine industry in Washing- ton, DC, the AHC strives to be in- clusive while ensuring the board is a manageable size and the trustees are strongly committed to AHC’s mission. These additions will serve AHC well as we look ahead at challenges facing the equine industry. ” To learn more about the


AHC’s governance and opportu- nities to participate on ad hoc committees,


task forces and


standing committees go to www.horsecouncil.org/gover- nance.


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