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It seems to me that people working with horses should be very eager to help
out beginners. After all, there's so much to learn, and no one can know it
all. Sometimes a little helpful info can actually mean the difference
between life and death.
But I, for one, have run into an attitude far too often with some horse
people of reticence when it comes to helping beginners. This certainly
isn't true of everyone, nor is it true of every area of horse-sports. Some
of the most open people I've talked to, for instance, are those who work
and enjoy draft horses. Talk about "talking a leg off a brass monkey!"
But other groups have been far less than helpful. One of the worst I've
experienced are people who show Arabs. I've tried to crack that nut a
whole lot of times, but still feel like an outsider.
Why be so close-mouthed? I don't know. I'm a likeable person, certainly
not a threat to anyone. I don't push or pry, and I'm certainly not a
know-it-all. When I ask someone a question, often times, I ask it to get
them talking. (I've extensive journalism background.) When the answers I
get are strictly one-syllable, or, worse yet, totally elusive, I get a bad
picture in my mind of that sport. Luckily, all individuals aren't like
that, or we wouldn't get anywhere.
It's so important to pass on what you know and what you've learned.
There's a whole other generation out there who are in danger of losing our
"horse heritage" without input from the people who presently enjoy the
sport. Economically speaking, it is imperative that we give everything
we've got to the newcomers, or who would be buying horses twenty years from
now?
In that vein, I'd like to hear from a lot more people about the many
mistakes they've made when working horses. Gee - you don't even have to
include your E-mail'
Karen Willmus
willmus@runestone.net
----------
You wrote>
>
> > it, anyone big enough to admit theyve made mistakes out there? (other
> > then spelling that is, after all, who cares!!)....
>
> I made the serious mistake of not asking enough about the trails that I
> rode my first few 50's on. I over rode my horse 2 different times due to
> this, and even though I was new to the sport, I should have still asked.
> ONe thing that I noticed was that people that have been riding longer
> could have warned me a bit better.
> For those of you who will scream it's not your responsibility, then fine,
> keep your mouth shut when someone asks. Just please point them in the
> direction of some one else who MIGHT help.
> I almost did not post this to the group, but figured if it helped keep
one
> horse out of trouble, then I would do it.
>
>
> They only said it's not tough compared
> to XX ride, or its similar to XYT ride. I had not ridden any of the
rides
> referenced. It would have helped if the more experienced riders had
asked
> me when/how I conditioned.
> since I was new to the sport, I certainly did not know how to ask what I
> needed to ask. NOw I do, but I am also familiar with most of the trails
> that I ride. If I do go to a ride that I have never done, I ask around
> until I find someone who has ridden that trail before, not necessarily
one
> who trains there--what someone trains on usually is not a big deal to
> them, not here in the SE usually since Mountains are generally NOT a
> problem:-), but I look for someone who has just done this ride a few
> times. I learn a lot by asking about terrain changes, mud/sand/rocks,
> spooks, etc. It really helped me after my first few mistakes, but it's
> too bad that my horse had to suffer because I was a green, naive person
to
> the sport. Good thing he's an Appy, and tough!!:-)
>
> Now I know, and I try to help people that ask, or if I see a new rider, I
> will find out if he/she is new to the area, or just new to the sport. I
> have made many new friends, helped some people along the way, and it
> really helps some people. It helps some, but it doesn't help others.
> Just depends on if people listened. I would have.
>
> samm
>
>
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