What is the most valuable lesson you have ever learned from a horse?

Question

Weather it be on or off the horse (like falling, accomplishment, etc...), what is the most valuable lesson you have ever learned from a horse.

Here's mine: Things do not always go the way we expect them to, but we must except that there is a reality we must face...

Answer 1

If you take the time to listen, horses will take the time to teach you.

Answer 2

I learned the horse wants to do what you ask, you just have to ask in a way the horse gets what you're asking for...And of course..patience

Answer 3

how to say goodbye.

Answer 4

Don't take anything for granted, especially your horse.

Answer 5

never stand behind a horse when its eating

Answer 6

Thats it takes time and good comunication to achieve goals :)

Answer 7

To be responsible. And when you fall off a horse, you just got to get right back on. And that you can handle more than you think you can. I learned all of those the hard way.

Answer 8

Among so many things I have learned from horses, not the least of which is that the rewards of patience and persistence keep getting better the more patient and persistent I am, but I think the most wonderful thing I have learned is that horses have a natural knack for making a person feel special even before a person does anything special to feel special about.

Answer 9

Focus on the task at hand, rather than worrying about the future- unless you want the future to involve a rather unpleasant thud and a very sore bum.

Answer 10

Love with all your heart, even when it gets broken in the end, and never be afraid to give your heart away to another horse.

Die young, live forever

If you love something, it's worth dying for.

A story behind the last one- I have in the past year fallen off 8 times and gotten injured badly 3 of them. First time I broke my back, the second time I got a concussion, and the third I broke my arm in two places and now have some fancy screws in there. I'm only 15, but I know I love horses more than anything in the entire world, I go to the barn everyday and work so that I can keep my horse Freedom. Everyone thinks I'm crazy to keep riding, but I've never been scared to get back on.

Answer 11

I work with rescue horses and the most valuable lesson I have learned about is forgiveness and trust.  The horses have been starved, beaten, and neglected but somehow they forgive humans and learn to trust us again... even if it takes years.  They have taught me that no matter how badly you have been hurt by someone there is always capacity in your heart to forgive and trust again.  

Answer 12

That you can only get a horses respect if you learn to respect them too.

And that once you have that bond with your horse you can do anything as a team.

(my horse has only ever been caught by two people, the womman who used to own him and me... he wont go within two yards of anyone else. We are the only ones he trusts, and it's taken a long time.)

Answer 13

Don't fight with them, they will win.

That 1000 lbs of get up and go can gallop for two miles despite many "Whoa Dammit"s

What love and trust really is

To ALWAYS pay attention.

How good they are at ignoring the bit-my horse is amazing at that one.

If you fall off get up and run because the horse will run home

The round pen is useless when the horse rams teh gate open and takes off.

Every horse has a personality and every horse is different and learns differently.

My horse is a garbage disposal.  willing to eat anything

Geldings like to act tougher then they are.

and so much more.

Answer 14

i learned that i am no better than my horse and that you have to learn to pay attention to what they are saying to you.

HTTY

Answer 15

not to show off when riding as they are living animals and can be unpredictable

Answer 16

To use all of my faculties to communicate with an animal that is my physical superior, and arrive at a mutually agreeable compromise.

Answer 17

It does not matter how I look, who's my friend, or how much money I have. Horses love you for you, and thats all I could ever ask for. I had a terrible seventh grade year, so many mean girls treating me like dirt, but as soon as I got to the barn, I'd just breath in, and feel at home. Horses have taught me to think sensibly, but dream big at the same time. Now, I don't wish for mansions, or for the 'hot guy' to ask me out. They taught me that there is more to life than what the mirror shows. Now, I wish for a horse. I wish for a small farm in Maine, with animals who love me in the same way that I love them. Sure, one day I'll find 'Mr. Right' but no matter who he is, my horses stay, whether he does, or not. Horses have been there when I need to talk, when I want to scream, and when I'm in need of a good hug. Theres so many lessons that horses have taught me, but most of all, what it means to love something, and know that it loves you back.  

Answer 18

to be free

Answer 19

never take your eye of the ball and always stay one step ahead

Answer 20

Remain calm and your horse will too.

Never blame the horse, always yourself

Reward horse, he has given you much more rewards.

Your horse is a better teacher than many and can teach: respect, balance, love, patience, dedication, hard work, and fun!!

Remember to breathe and have fun, cause thats why we ride... right?

~2htoohorse~

Answer 21

I've learned several actually, but the greatest one I learned was, is that you have to have to move on. I know this is hard to understand.

But my dad died Valentine's day 07, and I stopped riding shortly after that, my trainer called me one day, and picked me up from my house, brought me to the barn, and told me to spend some time with my favorite horse. And I learned that my dad while he was gone, would want me to be happy, and sitting around, eating junk food all day was not a good option. So, I learned that while it is hard to move on. It must be done, you must go forward in your life. and my favorite horse (Pony.) Arrow really showed that to me.

Answer 22

mine is to watch were you step in a field.

Answer 23

how to love unconditionally

Answer 24

That they just don't buck for the heck of it.

There is always a reason.. whether its pain, internal or external...

I had one Dale Martin saddle that made 5 animals buck.. I learned a huge lesson and it took a broken bone to figure out that it isn't the behavioural 'issue' that the vet thought it was.

Answer 25

Each time you handle them, you teach them something. Good or Bad.

Answer 26

I have learned a few- most of the lessons I have learned are already mentioned here- How to love unconditionally, never show off on a live animal, don't expect things to be a certain way- they will almost always turn out differently (especially with a live animal), how to say goodbye.

I also learned that you need to have patience.

One of the best things I learned is (again already mentioned in an answer) that horses are always talking and we just need to listen.

Answer 27

Patience, patience, patience

Answer 28

~Your never to old to ride

~you never forget how to ride

~you remember that you have certain muscle groups you long forgot about

~horses are warm and kind animals

~don't ever give up

~once a horse lover..always a horse lover

~they accept you for what you are and have no expectations

~I have made a lot of friends because of my association with them

~money doesn't grow on trees

Answer 29

i like yours. im not really sure of mine... i dont have one specific one.. i mean i guess the most important would be... how to not make them do something, but ask them too, and when you ask them, they listen every time because they love you

Answer 30

Only one?  How about these:

• Patience, patience, patience - still in progress

• How to understand another species - how they think, how they react, how they perceive the world around them - which has allowed further understanding in humans - humans are easy to figure out now.

• My horse is my mirror - if there's something going wrong, it's my fault, not the horse's - if there's something not happening right, I need to figure out what I'm communicating incorrectly to the horse.

• oh wait - here's another - if you fall of a horse when 21 you can get back on again - but when you're 41 it's not that easy - also, when I was 21 I'd tackle more difficult and dangerous situations - at 41 I don't have the body left to handle the impact nor do I look forward to tackling tuff stuff anymore.  

Answer 31

Mine is that if you let a horse get away with something he will do it until you can't control it anymore