8 Days – 8 Principles: Day 1

Pat Shares the 8 Principles of Horsemanship in Mexico

Principle #1: Horsemanship is natural.

I believe that man and horse were made to be together. The horse is the only prey animal that is shaped in a way that makes it possible to ride, and his capacity to adapt is extraordinary, which is probably why he’s survived for millions of years. If you become a savvy horseman, the horse will be willing to accept you as his alpha, his leader.

The horse and the human, together, become so much more. The horse learns to be calmer, smarter, braver and more athletic, and the human can be faster, more powerful and more perceptive to whatever’s going on around him. We learn to develop the qualities of good leadership: to be focused, patient, become more assertive and less aggressive, more emotionally stable, and to be responsible for giving direction and making decisions.

Keep it Natural,
Pat

Comments

  2. Rita Virtama

    Thank you Pat! I look forward to the next 7 principles.
    This one, principle #1, so often trips me up, and I end up wondering what it REALLY means. In some ways, there’s nothing more natural in this world than that intimacy we can have with a horse. In some ways, there is nothing less natural in the world. The whole concept of principle #1 is so deep, and can be seen in so many different ways.
    For me, horsemanship HAS TO BE natural, and it’s a beautiful thing. Horsemanship has to be an attitude, not a technique. Otherwise it’s just dictatorship.