"The key is learning how to listen"

 

I love the books of Mark Rashid and I just bought the first audiobook, Whole Heart, Whole Horse  a little while back. While listening to it in the car on my way to the stables (great way of spending time by the way) I just really loved how he tackled the dilemma of questions such as:

Should we ride bareback or with a saddle? Should we keep the horses barefoot or shod? Should we use spurs or no spurs. Should we smile or cry? Should we use our legs or our hips?

Maybe go back to your youth and that puddle of water. Go back to those dreamy days and stop for a moment and breathe. Go back to that day when this was all you wanted.

"What is mightier? The rocks in the grand canyon or the river that runs through it? The answer to the question at least as I saw it. It was a draw. But when we look at the big picture it is simply natures way of keeping things in balance. Even the strongest things in nature have their weaknesses and even the weakest things in nature have their strengths. 

I realized that morning it was the same thing with all those questions that were being asked of me in what I believe was best for the horse. That morning I came to the clear understanding that it doesn't matter if the horse is shod or barefoot or if they wear a bit or not. Or a saddle or not. In the end there are strengths and weaknesses to each argument. It is all just pheripheral and at best personal preference. Besides, we don't really need someone to tell us what is best for our horse. Because if we listen hard enough the horse will tell us anyway. The key is learning how to listen. 

I believe that before we can expect our horse to offer the best of themselves we must first find a way to give the best of ourselves to them." 

And isn't Brett Kidding's trailer loading demonstration at TRT live 2016 just the best?