Is the horse's personality changed through training? Part 2

“Hi Lena, humans are also influenced by their surroundings. ---Is it then a bad thing that I change? I rather think it should be called development, I develop self esteem/confidence. That is a good thing, yes?”

“What I take with me from reading your blog is the overall question of whether or not to even keep horses as domesticated animals at all. Do we offer them an acceptable environment with traditional management? Are we capable of treating horses as horses and not compare them to humans with our needs and behaviour?”

“Sometimes I too get these thoughts, 'what am I doing to my horse', but I believe it is good to think about these questions. Horses are big animals that more or less do everything we ask of them. Our horses are amazing!”

These are some of the comments about my blog two weeks ago, “Is the horse's personality changed through schooling?” 

Whether or not I make the choice to keep my horse traditionally (in a stall overnight and out in the pasture during the day), in an Active Stable, shod or barefoot etc, I still have to think about what I ask my horse to do and how I ask it of him when I train, groom, ride etc.

Yes, I completely agree that change can be positive, for instance the development of self esteem and confidence to handle day-to-day life, but does this apply to both humans and horses? I have a choice, I have chosen to work with horses, but have the horses chosen to interact with humans? I have also chosen to work with horses in such a way that I do change, maybe not their personality, but definitely their self image. After all, my goal is not only to teach the horse how to be calm and at peace in his everyday life, but also to create communication between me and my horse, and in doing so I teach my horse the new skill of interacting with humans. 

There is an old saying that a horse without a rider is still a horse, but a rider without a horse is just a man, but maybe a horse with a rider can be more than just a horse?

Thanks to Mark Stanton of Horsemanship Magazine for checking my spelling and grammar! All other errors are my own.

Why The Quest for Equipoise?

The reason we have choosen to name our blog The Quest for Equipoise is that it summon up the work Lena and I do together.

Quest is a long search for or attempt to find something. In Wikipedia quest is descibed as a journey towards a goal, requiring great exertion on the part of the traveller, and the overcoming of many obstacles, typically including much travel especially over a body of water. (Note: Both Lena and I have travelled over the Atlantic!)

Equipoise is defined as the state of being balanced or in equilibrium, usually connoting something that is a product of counterbalancing. (Wikipedia)

As I see it Equipoise is a blend of words with great importance an impact on the work we set out to do.

Equi turns the toughts towards equilibrium and equine. In our work we strive to acchieve a poised equine as well as a poised rider, both of them in physical and psychological equilibrium.

Quest indicates that time is of importance and that there is a purpose for this journey. In our case the purpose is to make equipoise a quality in both rider and horse.

Lena and I have choosen three words that describes what we focus on in our teaching; position, precision and perception.

If these three words are the guiding stars on our travel along the equestrian trail then passion is what drives us forward and potential is what we se in each horse and rider we meet.

So, you are hereby invited to join us on our quest for equipoise. Feel free to share your thoughts, reflections and experiences with your fellow travellers on the trail.