Horses and Humans Excel When You Build on Natural Talents
December 15, 2009 by Jean
Filed under Horse Lovers Chat
The following from an email I received, “Bruce Gerrish, a great horseman, died suddenly on Sunday, December 13, 2009.
Bruce knew how to make foxhunters. He was fantastic because he allowed the horse to be who he was while educating him in the sport.” I didn’t know Bruce but we can all learn from him in our work with our own horses. Too many times we try to make a horse or human for that matter into something they are not instead of taking their God given talents and educating them to be better in what they already do naturally.
Horses and humans will excel when you build on their natural talents, not try to make them into something they are not.
I knew Bruce for 8 years. He had a way of working with horses that was rare and based on the horse’s natural behavior. He did the same for the riders as he trained me for the hunt field as well the horses I rode. Understanding the horse, the mechanics of its muscle movement and why it does what it does, helped me better anticipate the approaches to jumping as well as position on the flats. Learning balance and better position in the saddle to work with (and not against) the horse was key.
John,
Thank you for your comment. It sounds like Bruce will be sorely missed.
In the earlier days of learning to ride I would never have thought that I needed to learn about a horse’s muscle movement. But now years later I know that this information is indeed very helpful in achieving my horsemanship goals.
“Learning balance and better position in the saddle to work with (and not against) the horse was key.”
Very well said and so true.