Horsemanship can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. Course-Walkers uses natural horsemanship to develop our horses. Bill Dorrance said that true horsemanship is "when the horse understands through feel what he is expected to do. The horse understands true horsemanship because it's the truth. And that's the truth."
What would it be like to have a horse that was able to sense our desires as they came into our own mind? Can we communicate the goal to our horse in a way that would be practically effortless? Can we learn to use a soft feel?
"Feel is the main thing a horse needs a person to know about. And we're speaking of connecting with the horse's mind, because his body doesn't really handle the thinking part of the horse. Because this feel part is understandable to the horse's mental system, a person doesn't need to spend a lot of time thinking about just working with that horse's body. His body will maneuver in response to his mind, but it's up to the person to help the horse connect his body with his mental system, and there's a real fine line there. It's up to the person to have a clear picture in his mind of how he wants that horse to operate before he presents a feel for that horse to respond to, or the horse is liable to not maneuver in the way the person wants him to. Having this in mind whenever your're areound a horse, or holding onto him, is what shapes the future for him in the best way possible."
-Bill Dorrance
Similar thoughts on training are expressed in Alois Podhajsky's book "The Complete Training of Horse and Rider". In that book, he quotes Simon of Athens, who stated that "If a dancer was forced to dance by whip and spikes, he would be no more beautiful than a horse trained under similar conditions".
Podhajsky also recognized the changes that horsemanship can create in our own selves.
"Equestrian art, perhaps more than any other, is closely related to the wisdom of life. Many of the same principles may be applied as a line of conduct to follow. The horse teaches us self-control, constancy, and the ability to understand what goes on in the mind and the feelings of another creature, qualities that are important throughout our lives. Moreover, from this relationship with his horse the rider will learn that only kindness and mutual understanding will bring about achievements of highest perfection. Many roads lead to Rome. The question is which is the best and shortest. With riding, only theoretical knowledge and practical ability will help the student to select the best road to success. Once selected it must be followed to the end; changes of direction will lead to confusion and failure to reach the goal."
Whatever your path, or your goals, stay true to yourself and your horse. Steady yourself to steady your mount, for they depend on us, as we depend on them.
In all the work that you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people. Colossians 3:23
