In the end, it is the horse that matters – not the human ego.
When someone puts themselves on public display, they run the risk of facing the judgment of others. If what people see is perceived as harsh – even abusive – should they turn a blind eye or call the person to task for the behaviour?
Not one of us is perfect. We all make mistakes. Hopefully, we learn from our mistakes and become better for it. When it comes to horses, there are many things I have done in the past that I have since asked the horses to forgive me for. I did what I knew at the time and when I knew better, I did better.
I know there are better horse training methods than what were demonstrated in that infamous, recent demonstration in the UK. They are successful, they do not require gum lines or restraints. They take time. When the focus is on the horse, the trainer takes all the time the horse needs. In that particular demonstration, it appears that the human ego took precedence over the horse’s need.
It is the horse that matters. We all need to keep learning – for the sake of the ourselves and the horses.
