Sophomore Slump
I don’t think sophomore slump is necessarily the best description for what I am feeling, but it is what came to mind for me. We have had our horses for a little over a year and a half now, and that just so happens to be the same amount of time for which I have experience with most everything to do with horses.
I came to this gig as a novice and have been relying primarily on intuition as my guide on how to care for them, beyond what I have gleaned from watching and listening to Cyndie, our farrier—George, and the two equine veterinarians who have been here.
If anything, I have leaned toward growing somewhat cocky over the success I have had thus far with our herd of 4, but I am very aware of how limited my experience really is. There is a lot more left to know than the limited understanding I have acquired thus far. What I’m trying to describe is that I feel like I have gained enough experience to no longer be a novice, but not enough to confidently guide my actions beyond the simple acts of feeding and brushing them out.
Yesterday, after brushing Legacy from head to toe because he stepped up and indicated a desire for it, I set down the brushes and took off my gloves to work on a tangle in his mane. With my attention on the twisted knot, I missed any hint he might be displeased with my activity. Suddenly he nipped my pant leg and pinched some flesh.
It brought out an involuntary yell of, “Ouch!” which startled all 4 of them. I angrily backed Legacy off and cut short my attention to all of them.
I am well aware that I have neglected to effectively teach Legacy to respect my space. I find myself in a bit of limbo between mastering the art of communicating with the conscious awareness I have come to believe horses possess, and the more traditional ways of repetitive lessons to establish desired behaviors in horses.
I see it as my sophomore slump that I know a little bit, but not enough to be as effective as I would like. Something tells me that if I continue to allow the horses to be my guides, Legacy will continue to have the upper hand. It’s back to the books for me, to refresh what I already know and then expand beyond that toward a new level of skills and confidence.
In no time I will find myself into my third year with the horses, and by then I would hope a sophomore slump to be a thing of the past.
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Relative Something 
Hi John, catching up. I seem to remember you being given a horse ‘training’ book that I also, subsequently, bought. One of its first and best lessons is ABC : Always Be Conscious. Horses are looking for leaders that are not necessarily Dominant but rather provide benefit. Nevertheless, you still need to instill Respect, which basically means maintaining your intimate space – the horse must not enter that space unasked. So like you, we have had our nips and even kicks such that now we know to maintain that space. Indeed, the horse comes to respect that and you, so that you may pass through your herd like a knife through butter: you are their care-giver and must ‘act/be’ the part. Think of it as a bubble of energy around you – they are not allowed to burst it – for their own good and yours, too, naturally. In sum, you ARE a good person and must project this. Your actions must always reflect your leadership choices rather than theirs. For example, you choose to groom them, rather than them ordering you to do it. Indeed, we are back to my old way of thinking: there are no tasks but asks. Simply put, the first furthers a type of conditioned slavery that is blind and abusive. The second option furthers growth, learning and togetherness. Once you understand this, there is no real choice but intelligent choice. In sum, you MUST take care of yourself, John – you are the key and the one with the answers to the overall situation, as I witness time and time again. The horses are thought to be natural, but you trump them with your deep understanding – something that I always recognized in you, something dying to be expressed. You ARE a super-natural, finding and discovering that everyday. I am just someone who gets to describe what I ‘see’.
Ian Rowcliffe
May 30, 2015 at 8:04 am
Thank you, Ian. I thrive on your gifts of sharing what you see. You are a precious set of second eyes for me, my brother!
johnwhays
May 31, 2015 at 8:51 am