Sunday, December 13, 2009

fundamentals

I am not a believer in ''methods''. I'm a believer in fundamentals. So reads the first lines of Jack Nicklaus' book 'My Way'.

I read this quote a while back and it hit me bang between the eyes. Although he is talking about golf, this could so easily apply to equestrianism.
Top trainers sell books and clinics off the back of methods. The thing that has hit me this last 12 months (yes it's almost that long since I started blogging) is that methods don't matter. Fundamentals are what count. I'm going to create a list of fundamentals over the next few weeks and the bad news? I shall bore you with them, lol. Any thoughts will be gratefully received (as always) and I shall look on them in the new year as if they were resolutions.

Back to the mundane, too windy still for Moo (blimey he's a handful coming in, very polite but bronc-ing all over).
Chapsi and I took a windswept walk down to the bottom of the property and he just about held on to himself and so we returned and did some work in the yard with me standing on the bucket and leaning over...he is quite happy with this work now.

6 comments:

Claire said...

polite AND broncing? isn't that a contradiction in terms :-)

Anonymous said...

I'm not a believer in systems, myself. Each horse has to be treated as an individual, and as you point out it's the foundations that make all the difference. Looking forward to being (not) bored.

bellecroix said...

Hmmmmm....very thought provoking

"The fundamental purpose is to develop, through progressive training methods"

look forward to the list ;-)

Di said...

It's taken years but I'm finally starting to see the big picture. It's not about the method, it's about the relationship you have with your horse, whether he wants to be with you and work with you. It's so simple, but I couldn't even see it. I wanted to jump this x country course, I wanted to gallop along this beach or go showjumping, do this, do that, but I never thought "does my horse want to be with me?". If I had, I would have realised that maybe he didn't. We didn't have the kind of communication that I want now with my horses. This may not encompass all the fundamentals you're referring to Trudi, although I'm sure it's a big part of it, and I really do want to ride well and I want my hores to be trained well and all that entails, but most of all I want a real, honest relationship with my horse.
I am looking forward to your list.

trudi said...

Thanks all.

Claire, well he was very polite he didn't try to knock me over, p*ss off or anything terrible. He just bounded about pretty much on the spot!

LOL Bev, where d'ya nick that one?

Di, that hits the spot perfectly, lovely sentiments and I agree wholeheartedly.

HorseOfCourse said...

I am so very looking forward to be "bored"
Shoot away Trudi (and well put, Di)