The Gift of Greatness

The Gift of Greatness
Wow! What a busy three months I have had!
I have been crazy busy actually since the NE Horse Expo in March, with private lessons, clinics, camps and starting young horses. It has been a very rewarding three months but I needed a rest and it sure was nice to have three days off to relax over the 4th of July weekend. Plus the weather was fantastic. I couldn’t be happier with this nice cool spell July started off with. Some of you who know me well have heard me say many times how much I do not like the heat.

I hope all of you had a very happy and safe independence day as you celebrated the freedom we enjoy in America and that you had time to enjoy your horses. I sure did!
As I think of our nation I think of greatness and the many men and women who have made it great. Few of us will ever do anything that will be recognized or remembered by more than a handful of people, but that doesn’t make us any less important or special. I believe each and every person is unique with value and has a purpose in life. However, true greatness comes along so rarely that when we see it we want to touch it and we want a chance to be a part of it.

There are a few horsemen who are truly great! They make it all look so easy and even magical. We can see the real connection they have with the horse. It is undeniable. A truly great horseman has a way of helping the horse feel good about whatever they ask him to do. They believe in the horse, that there are no good or bad horses, only horses that have or haven’t been given the chance to develop his own confidence and abilities with clear communication and positive motivation.

When a person wants to become an artisan of horsemanship it is sort of like developing a great concert pianist. It doesn’t happen over night just because you bought a nice expensive grand piano. It takes years of foundational lessons with hours of practicing scales, chords, finger positions, feel of the keys, rhythm, tempo, balance, softness, loudness, various styles, and so much more. Eventually the great pianist will progressively begin to play more difficult scores until the sounds they can produce from the ivory keys are polished into beautiful music. Producing a beautiful harmonious ride on a consistent basis which feels good to both the horse and rider is a gift of greatness. But you can bet there was a lot of hard work, patience, and practice which went into that greatness.

The art of horsemanship means developing a horse to be more than it could ever be without you. All horses have the potential to be beautiful partners moving confidently and gracefully while being ridden. With some horses it takes a great horseman in order to find that balance, not all horses can tolerate mediocre horsemanship.

There comes a point when all great horsemen may have to ask themselves these questions: “How can I help this horse become the horse that I seek? How can I help him feel better about what I am asking him to do and who I am asking him to be? After all you picked the horse he didn’t pick you.

Hope to see you on the trail this summer or fall,
Sherry Jarvis
PS: "Not only does talent create its own opportunities, but intense desire will create its own talents."
- Bruce Lee