The Absence of Horsemanship in the Modern Training Program

I have a bone to pick with my equestrian peers. Something terrible is happening and I can't ignore it any longer. Somewhere along the line horsemanship was removed from the lesson plan.

Apparently it is absent from a lot of lesson plans. Sure students are still being taught to lead on the left and to wait to tighten their girth when they get to the arena, but I'm talking about the nitty gritty of true horsemanship; when students have confidence with their mounts and enough common horse sense to navigate through challenges. I've witnessed far too many trainers insuring the longevity of their careers by creating students who are far too dependent on them for guidance. Their students have been disillusioned into thinking that horse training is a one way street and there is absolutely no room for error. This couldn't be further from the truth.

Of course there are always situations where a trainer is absolutely needed and necessary, but I'm talking about people who have been riding for years and years and still feel that if they make a mistake with their horse then it will be forever ruined, so they employ a trainer at every turn. I can't stress enough how silly it is to feel that dependency. In my eyes, it's equally important for a trainer to teach their student how to read their horse, just as well as they teach them to ride it. Riding and reading are two completely different skills. I would like to see trainers encouraging more conscious riders; riders who are just as concerned about their horses body language as they are their equitation. It's an invaluable skill to be able to safely make mistakes with a horse and in turn, come to a safe solution. I will forever be indebted to the trainer who taught me how to make mistakes, she has made an everlasting impact on the horseman I am today.

Casey Pierce isn't a "typical" trainer for me; I had been riding hunter/jumpers for 7 years and she is a reining trainer, but my horse was injured so I decided to branch out while he was laid up; a choice that I will forever appreciate. Casey is stationed out of Middlefield, Ohio, better known for her wins at Equine Affaire in the Extreme Cowboy Competition. Casey is unlike any trainer I have ever trained with. She didn't improve my equitation and I didn't win any ribbons with her, but the horsemanship skills I learned from her go above and beyond everything else. She was always encouraging me to try new things, make some mistakes and most of all, pay attention to my horse. As unfortunate as it sounds, it was a new concept for me. She taught me how to safely try something new and to accurately assess my horses reaction. Most of the things I learned during my time spent with her were from the horses I was riding; if I received a positive reaction, I was doing something right, if the reaction was negative, it was back to the drawing board. Casey always stressed for me to go slow, be gentle and pay attention. Three small rules that have changed the way I ride immensely.

One day in particular we had gone to a local obstacle schooling and I brought my horse who was relatively fresh off layup. I had planned to just walk him around the obstacles, mess around with a couple and just give him some experience. He was being very quiet and handling everything well, so I decided to try the pole drag. Once I turned him around and started backing up, he completely panicked and took off like a bat out of hell. We had caused quite a scene and I was unbelievably embarrassed. Once I was able to stop my horse, I became aware that everyone in the building was staring at me, and they all knew I had come with Casey. One lady ran up to me, grabbed my bridle and said, "Are you okay?! You probably want to dismount...I'll hold him while you hop off." Before I could even reply, Casey rode over to me, absolutely cracking up. Laughing, she suggested that I try again, since my horse and I were both okay, just shook up. I could barely believe her reaction. I had been bracing myself, anticipating the wrath of a morbidly embarrassed trainer, but instead she encouraged me to try again, this time a little slower. It took some time, but within minutes we were confidently able to drag the pole.

Since my time with Casey, I have yet to experience many trainers who don't make their students feel insecure when they make a mistake. This is terribly unfortunate since I truly feel they are doing their students a disservice by not teaching them horse sense. Of course, how are their students to know they are being shortchanged when it's all they know?

So, consider this a call to action. If you're a trainer, consider taking some time to teach your students how to be a better horseman, as well as a better rider. If you're a student and you're with a trainer that isn't empowering you as a horseman, then I urge you to reconsider who you're training with.