Human Nature
By Kerry Kuhn
One thing everyone has to learn to deal with is human nature. How you react to different situations is a major factor in your relationship with your horse. Your natural instincts can become very difficult for your horse if you can't learn to control them. Since these instincts cannot go away, put them to use.
I watch people everyday with their horses, and I often find myself wondering why people do what they do. It is like their mind shuts off and their body takes over. When this happens and their horse really needs help, it only causes the horse more trouble. This creates a wall between the horse and rider that can make building a solid relationship extremely challenging.
I encourage people to first accept the fact that their bodies are going to react to things almost before their mind has a chance to work. Until they get comfortable with this natural reaction, it seems all they do is try to fight it. Therefore, they get mad at themselves because they couldn't stop it from happening.
Fear or self-preservation is probably the biggest obstacle to overcome. When your horse jumps or just catches you by surprise, it can cause your heart to pound which in turn makes your body tight. As a result your horse becomes more tense and this tension usually builds from there.
When your horse does something you aren't prepared for, allow your body to react naturally. Then see how quickly you can relax. You can't keep your heart from trying to jump out of your chest if something scares you. So when it happens, take a deep breath and see how quick you can let it all go. Before you know it, your mind will start to gain more and more control over your body and how it reacts. The time it takes for you to relax will get shorter and shorter. Eventually it will 'feel' as if your mind has complete control over your natural reactions. In reality, you have gained control over how you respond to such natural reactions. Humans can never change the fact that they are humans. However, they can change how they act.
