How I learned to embrace my inner horse geek (thanks to Ray Hunt). And why that made all the difference to me (and to the horses).

I didn’t learn to ride until I was an adult. Predictably, I wasn’t exactly the smoothest rider at first. In fact, I was a downright nerd at the barn. If there was a wrong fashion choice to make, I made it. Rubber riding boots. Giant bright sweaters. Oversized helmets that made me look like an uncoordinated motorcycle cop. You name the worst equestrian fashion faux pas — and I embodied it. I longed to be rugged, tough and world wise, like the pro horse trainers I knew. But over time, I came to realize that my nerdy perspective was actually a positive thing. It gave me a fresh and completely non-cynical approach to the horses. My “beginner’s mind” was open to many possibilities that experts would never consider. Because of that, I became aware of small things in the horses’ behavior and expressions that seemed significant to me (and to the horses). I was more receptive to learning — and the horses were happy to teach me because of that.  I owe this insight to an early experience at a Ray Hunt clinic. It was the first clinic I had ever ridden in. Blissfully clueless, I went into the colt starting class with a polo saddle, Gap jeans and a barely broke 3 yo TB straight from the track. A wiser, less nerdy person would have never ridden in that clinic. But I learned so much from Ray. And it’s because of that clinic that I became a dedicated (and perpetually nerdy) student of horsemanship. At Horse Wise, I teach people tools so that they can learn how to coach themselves and their horses to progress together as a team. It’s a fun process that shows you how build a good partnership with your horse (in a practical, straightforward way). If you’d like more information on mindset practices, audio coaching or general Horse Services, please visit our website for more information:  http://horsewisecoach.com/ And if you’d like to keep up with our news and updates, please join our email list or follow us on social media: https://www.facebook.com/HorseWiseCoach/ https://www.instagram.com/horse_wise/ )