Ep 166: The Value of an Extra Hour
At the end of each year, I always like to take some time to reflect. I truly think the only way I can get better is to evaluate what I learned this past year. And this year, the one central theme that kept surfacing in my reflections was the value of time.
This year, I have experienced just how valuable an hour of time can be in multiple different ways from horsemanship to personal development. Whether that time is spent working on your horses or working on yourself, time is undoubtedly one of the most valuable assets we can have.
Here are the few ways that understanding the value of time has impacted me this year and the lessons I’ve learned:
Lesson 1: Allowing Adequate Time with Each Horse
In today’s fast paced world, we have the resources to be more efficient than ever. We can get things done quicker, and as a result, we are always looking for ways to fit more productivity into our days. While this sense of ambition can, in fact, be productive, it can also push us into a rushed state of living. When we are operating with a sense of urgency, we don’t always produce the quality of work we would if we had taken the time to do things at a more manageable pace.
I’ve been guilty of this not only with my day-to-day routines, but with my horses, too. The truth is, you can only do so much in one day. When you are in the horse training business, it’s easy to think that more horses equals more money (which is something we are all striving for). However, this year, I’ve really taken a step back on this equation. I’ve come to realize that more horses doesn’t always equal more value. Instead, I’ve found that more time spent with each horse yields much more valuable results.
One of the things I’ve really changed about my training program this year is dedicating more time to each horse. With this extra time, I’ve been working to make these horses more versatile and well rounded; finding ways to keep their training program interesting. I think these horses have really benefited from spending time on a multitude of different disciplines — for example, working barrel horses in the roping events, working the flag or even reining a cow down the fence. This has allowed me to test these horses’ foundations in a variety of scenarios, and in turn, I believe it has helped me strengthen their foundation to a point that I couldn’t have reached had I not taken the time to introduce them to these other disciplines.
Lesson 2: Understanding the Value of Controlling Speed and Direction
This year, I’ve instructed over 500 trainers through public and private events, as well as mentorships. One constant battle that I saw throughout these experiences is the lack of control over speed and direction. Now this may come as a surprise to some, as I have the privilege of working with a lot of very advanced riders and trainers. However, with that, we are also working with a lot of very advanced and talented horsepower. When we have such a powerful animal underneath us, controlling speed and direction is perhaps the single most important skill we can develop. While many trainers can control their horse’s speed and direction to some degree (i.e. pulling on the bridle reins), their ability to slow down, speed up or change directions with something other than their hands is limited.
The dependency we have on our hands and bridle reins can become a crutch if we let it. If that is the only signal we send on a regular basis, that is the only signal our horses are looking for. As a result, our horses become too dependent on the signals we are sending with our hands. For a horse to truly have a solid foundation, we should be able to slow down, speed up, and change directions without the use of our hands. To do this, we have to establish signals with our body and leg position that cue that horse with less interference from our hands. Anything we can do with our preparation to help us be more well-rounded with the signals we are sending with our body will be an asset to our horse’s foundation in the long-run.
Lesson 3: Appreciating the Value of Time
Could you find one extra hour in your day where you could be more efficient?
I’d be willing to bet that most of us can. Regardless of how busy we feel like we are, there are always ways to optimize the efficiency of our daily routines. Maybe that means one less hour of mindless scrolling on your phone, one less hour of Netflix, or one less snooze on the alarm. Or, maybe that is simply looking at your daily routine and figuring out one activity that could be eliminated or made more efficient. Whatever that is, let me put that one hour a day into perspective for you:
One extra hour per day = 365 extra hours per year
365 extra hours per year = Nine 40-hour workweeks
Nine 40-hour workweeks = 2 months of a full-time job
When you consider time in this way, how much more valuable does that one hour per day become? While that one hour may not seem like much on a day-to-day basis, the compounded effect of your efforts during this one hour each day can lead to massive results.
This coming year, one of my biggest goals is to minimize wasted motion; working to be more effective. I am not only going to be diligent about creating my to-do lists, but I am also going to be intentional about how I prioritize this list. In other words, I am going to be very intentional about how I use my time.
For me, the value of my time is not only going to be spent on my horses, but also the other areas of my life that I consider to make me a well-rounded person. I am going to prioritize that time for my family, friends, and serving others — those are the things that make me who I am.
Lesson 4: Valuing Your Experiences
Sometimes, life programs us to believe that we are not enough – that our experiences, knowledge, skills, opinions or ideas are not enough. I promise you, it is enough.
I see so many trainers who underestimate the value of their experiences. Especially when you are first starting out, it is easy to feel like your experiences are not valuable to others. One thing I’ve learned is that you don’t have to have everything figured out to provide value to someone – you only have to be a couple steps ahead of the person you are trying to help.
Every time we experience challenges or failures, those are huge opportunities to learn. Those are breaking points that push us to another level. Those are the times where we pay a huge price today for the experience and knowledge we will need later in life. Never underestimate the value of the life experiences you have had so far. Your message may be exactly what someone else needs to hear at this point in their life.
My challenge for you: Make up your mind that, this year, you are going to be the best you’ve ever been.
“Be Your Best Horsemanship” is brought to you by Silver Lining Herbs, Classic Equine, Martin Saddlery, Better Horses Network, Purina, Healthycoat, CINCH, Starbar, and Clarifly. These brands have been part of the Phil Haugen Horsemanship team for many years, and their products continue to play an integral role in the success of our performance horse training program. To support these brands, visit our Sponsors tab.
