Ep 73: Survival Mode
Note: This podcast episode was recorded in February 2021.
We are in the middle of an unprecedented winter weather event in the central United States right now. I am originally from North Dakota, so I have seen this type of weather before--but, many of us in Oklahoma and Texas are not well-equipped to handle these sub-zero temperatures and winter precipitation.
With temperatures below zero, frozen ground, gelling diesel fuel, and power grids collapsing due to increased energy consumption, many of us have kicked into “survival mode.”
As I’m sitting here drinking my coffee this morning, I can’t help but think about how this time parallels the horsemanship journey.
During this time, we are doing whatever it takes to survive. We don’t have the choice to quit. We know that if we keep doing our best and keep working hard, we will come out on the other side of this winter weather event. We know that warmer, better days are soon to come.
What if we had this level of assurance with our horsemanship journey?
When we are in the middle of a challenging time with a certain horse, it can be tempting to just quit and give up. Or, we start to believe that what we are doing doesn’t make a difference, so we begin fading away from the things that we know we should be doing.
But, instead of giving up, what if we could be assured that all of our hard work would pay off? What if we knew without a doubt that all the time spent performing thousands of repetitions of those fundamental exercises would finally result in a paycheck? Would our levels of commitment be different?
When you are going through monumental challenges, trust in yourself that you have the power to stick with it and figure it out. Get excited about these challenges, because they usually indicate that you are on the verge of a breakthrough.
You know the mentality that we have trying to get through this arctic blast? We must have the same mentality with your horses. Kick into “survival mode” and do whatever it takes to get past those challenges. Ask for help. Don’t quit. Keep working hard.
“Be Your Best Horsemanship” is brought to you by 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.
