Your Horse/Your Instincts

I have been on both sides of the fence. As a young adult and amateur, I believed (and wanted to) everything my trainer(s) told me I should do from care, to handling, to riding. Yet I would find myself having feelings of doubt and on too many occasions wish I had trusted my guts and done things differently. Who paid the price for me not heeding those nagging feelings? Why my horse did of course. To begin, let's wipe the slate clean. Start over. Learn to listen to your horse, and observe more objectively anyone who is involved with your horse and having you do things "their" way. This includes well intentioned and high level trainers and riders. Every choice you make regarding your horse is as individual as you are and no one except you is as motivated to have a happy partnership with their horse as you are. If you own, ride, and or participate in the care of your horse, you know your horse better than anyone else. For parents of children who ride, this becomes a challenge. Parents for the most part will put all decisions in the hands of the professional trainer, without ever learning about horses or the variety of riding disciplines that are available. To you I suggest first, begin to learn and start asking questions.