Sep 25, 2024
In this podcast episode, Stacy Westfall responds to a listener question from Laura, who has a highly trained and well-behaved horse named Parker. Laura says, “he's just so good. And me being new, I kind of wonder what I can offer him.” Stacy offers four angles for Laura to consider:
1. Use Parker's excellent behavior as a model to study and apply
to her other horses.
2. Avoid the "infatuation" or "awestruck" phase, and instead focus
on observing Parker's individuality and differences.
3. Recognize that training is not just about correction or
reprimand, but also about supporting and guiding the horse's
strengths. An excellent employer would do the same with an
excellent employee.
4. Look for one thing that each of her other horses does better
than Parker, to avoid becoming "barn blind" and losing sight of the
nuances of each horse's behavior.
Stacy emphasizes the importance of shifting one's paradigm to see training as a multifaceted process that can enhance even the most well-trained horse.