| Have you ever watched the TLC program 'What Not | | | | now telling you. You don't even have to listen really, |
| to Wear' with fashion gurus Stacy London and Clinton | | | | just do it. Your body will take a lot longer to create the |
| Kelly? Just to fill you in, in case you're not familiar with | | | | correct muscle memory than your brain takes to |
| the show, the premise is that the fashion experts offer | | | | comprehend correct activity, so it is in your best |
| help to the stylistically challenged. | | | | interests to just do what you are told, push any old |
| The one condition is that the recipient of their expertise | | | | thoughts, beliefs and habits out of the way and start |
| has to agree to surrender entirely to Stacy and | | | | over. |
| Clinton's guidance and agree to discard every last item | | | | Don't get bogged down with any reflections on what |
| in their formerly dysfunctional wardrobe. In return, they | | | | you have done or what you could have done. It's not |
| get $5,000 worth of new apparel, a makeover, and | | | | possible to 'should have' done anything; your only option |
| style tips that could improve every area of their life | | | | is to move forward. |
| moving forward. It's not a bad deal. | | | | There is no need to consider the skill or motivation of |
| While participants on the show are generally | | | | your former trainers; they were likely very good |
| nominated by friends, co-workers or family members, | | | | people with extremely good intentions. It's certainly |
| there are some people who petition to participate of | | | | unlikely that any trainer out there ever sets out with a |
| their own volition. | | | | plan to create a stiff, ineffective rider or damage a |
| Likewise, any rider can take the time to reflect on their | | | | horse's psyche with improper and erratic |
| riding progress (or lack thereof), their horse handling | | | | communication. However; if you find a trainer who is |
| skills and assess if they might be helped by a | | | | chirping orders at you from their Adirondack chair at |
| professional horseman. | | | | the side of the arena or barking convoluted directives |
| Now, when we say 'horseman' keep in mind that this is | | | | that are instilling unnatural tension in the bodies of you |
| someone who lives, eats, sleeps and breathes horse | | | | and your horse, you may want to look elsewhere for |
| activity. They ride, they train, they focus on the | | | | assistance. Keep in mind that, more often than not, real |
| foundation of human-horse communication and they | | | | horsemen teach from horseback. |
| have decades of first hand experience that has | | | | No one likes to hear that they are doing or have done |
| provided them with almost super-human powers of | | | | something wrong. Nobody enjoys admitting that they |
| observation. | | | | have wasted time and money or that certain skill sets |
| Ride with a true horseman and they'll be able to tell | | | | and education they've invested years in aren't |
| you exactly where you're looking, the angle of each | | | | particularly relevant or useful. But that's just part of the |
| rein, if you are not breathing properly or if you may be | | | | human experience. We live and learn. Education (good |
| thinking of anything other than the horse beneath you. | | | | and bad) is supposed to be expensive. And, seriously, |
| And that's when you're riding behind them. It's almost a | | | | the only true value in money comes from the |
| little freakish really. But after you get past being | | | | experiences it affords us. |
| unnerved by their x-ray vision and mind-reading abilities, | | | | If you are entirely pleased with the direction of your |
| you will learn a lot. | | | | horsemanship abilities, if you are always completely |
| The one prerequisite to learning a lot is not only | | | | relaxed and comfortable in the saddle and if your |
| admitting that you have a lot to learn (who doesn't?) | | | | horse never ever seems even mildly confused by |
| but also being entirely willing to toss out every last | | | | what you're asking of her, it's obvious that you're |
| thought, idea, theory and practice accumulated in your | | | | already on the right path. |
| old, inappropriate and ineffective horsemanship closet | | | | However, if you are not thoroughly satisfied with and |
| (i.e., your brain and body). You may think that the $1,000 | | | | confident in your current riding and training skills, it really |
| you invested in dressage lessons, the 2k you dropped | | | | is okay to throw away all those old ideas and |
| in the hunter/jumper arena or all those countless DVDs | | | | unrewarding techniques and find a new way, a better |
| you absorbed over the past four years left you with | | | | way, to communicate and evolve. Forget the past and |
| some usable skills and reputable knowledge, right? | | | | just start over. |
| Wrong. Just like those participants on 'What Not to | | | | When you can't be out at the barn, your satellite TV |
| Wear' who think their designer bunny slippers add a | | | | programming can offer some great ideas and |
| playfully casual element to their business suit, you're | | | | inspiration. Well known trainers such as hall of fame |
| wrong. | | | | cowboy Craig Cameron, along with clinicians Clinton |
| You will do yourself and your horse a huge favor if | | | | Anderson, Chris Cox and Ken McNabb all have helpful |
| you commit to erasing all the old information from your | | | | and interesting shows on RFD-TV. It's a new year, |
| brain as soon as possible. Stop thinking. Admit to | | | | after all. Go ahead and try out a horsemanship |
| yourself that you know nothing worth remembering | | | | makeover. |
| and just listen to what your horsemanship trainer is | | | | |