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Translating Horsemanship by Brooke Sweat
Have you ever tried to have a meaningful conversation with someone that speaks a different language? Would you go into a business meeting without first taking the time to learn the language of those you are sitting down with?
So why is it that we, as humans, feel that we can so easily communicate with a 1,000lb animal, without first taking the time to respectfully learn their language?
Why is it that we refuse to humble ourselves enough to seek this precious knowledge, yet we expect the horse to fully trust us, when we ourselves are limiting their understanding?
Now I’m sure that we are all aware there is not an option on Google Translate for Horse to Human Translation. Even Rosetta Stone, the worlds largest language-learning company, has yet to release an Equine Edition.
So why is it that we feel like we can just figure out a horse’s language on our own?
Why do we look at Horsemanship Education as insignificant, unnecessary or an admittance of our own faults & shortcomings, when we could just as easily look forward to it with the same excitement, joy & pride as we do in enrolling in a foreign language class at the local Community College?
The fact is: Knowledge Is Key.
We pay a price to gain it or the horse pays the price by us not obtaining it.
So if the majority of “Business Meetings” we attend, require that we be five feet off the ground and sitting in a saddle, why not go into them having an understanding of how to effectively communicate?
After all, confidence in our ability to clearly communicate with the horse is the greatest gift we can give to our equine partnerships.
Martin Black and Donnette Hicks are able to open up a world of effective communication between the horse and rider.
Martin explains this language-learning opportunity by saying, “Donnette and I stand firm in our belief that: Good Horsemanship is Good Horsemanship; regardless of Discipline or Breed.” He goes onto say, “What Donnette and I do with our horses is much the same, and how we get them there is much the same also. The biggest difference is, we just have different terminology for the same thing.”
As Martin and Donnette come together in sharing their vast terminology, they are able to offer unique, one of a kind clinics. Each individual clinic, through it’s diversity, takes on a life of it’s own. Both Martin and Donnette, are able to see where riders and their horses are at in the clinic, hand formulate the next layer and guide them through those layers in ways that every participant is able to benefit from.
This incomparable approach comes from the versatile knowledge that Martin and Donnette are able to share through their own personal backgrounds and education.
Martin’s background of ranching, cattle, colt contracting, competition, clinician experience and an in-depth knowledge of ultimate horsemanship, merged with Donnette’s, more than 30 years of horsemanship experience, and 20+ years of advanced education through the Grand Prix Levels of dressage, is sure to offer the potential for anyone to move forward in their ability to effectively communicate with the horse.
