The power of positive thinking is truly a good thing to focus your energies on. What you expect your horse to do, he usually will actually do. You can head off your own nerves by fixing on positive words (NLP), and training yourself on a daily basis to overcome any fears or reservations you may be experiencing. There are plenty of books and DVDs out there that can help you with learning these powers, and they are easy to assimilate. Jane Savoie is one of the leaders in the equestrian world on this topic. Horses are unpredictable, and they are good multi-taskers. Surprisingly many riders channel negative energy to their horse just by their own inattention to their equine partner of the moment.
As a rider you need to be assertive but never aggressive, aware of the surroundings but not fixed on them with a hard eye, dutiful about safety and careful not to let sloppy habits creep in that could get you or your horse injured. So many accidents happen because of bad horsemanship, so avidly address your own habits around and on your horse.
John Lyons once commented something to the effect, "Whenever you are around your horse you are teaching him something," and advocated always making your horse 'do' something whenever you are around him, e.g. when in his stall make him step back, or move over, then turn and leave the space. While this is obviously about making it clear to your horse you are above him in the pecking order of a herd - it is true that if we are busy chatting with friends ( or worse on a cell phone, my pet peeve), or in general just walking around your horse rather than him stepping back out of your space, you are teaching him negative behavior.
One time while I was riding with the great Herbert Rehbein, he asked me to take my canter into a pirouette.
"Yikes, I thought. Here I am on this big warmblood and there is no way that I can make this happen on a horse I barely know." So naturally the horse bumbled through movement, falling over his shoulder and describing an enormous big dinner plate with no proper hop with his inside hind and faltered into a bad halt. Mr. Rehbein walked over and shook his head, and he asked me whether I thought I could do it.
I nervously asked, " Can the horse do it?" He smiled kindly at me and said, " It is not about the horse, it is about you."
I took a big breath and said, " Yes, I can do it," and set off once again in the canter. I ran through the aids in my head, collected the horse's haunches to the inside in a diminishing circle, sat square with the horse and asked him to step around. He did it. It was a wonderful feeling and I'm sure I was grinning madly.
" Gut. Gut!" he said pleased, " This you will remember." And he was right, I have.
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With regard to horsemanship as with everything else in life, if you follow the same behavior everyday, you will get the same results. If you want to change the result, then obviously you must change your behavior.
By endorsing a positive attitude and answering the question, " I think I can but can I?" with an emphatic big fat "YES!", you will be able to overcome many obstacles in life.
Thinking it first is crucial to a successful outcome. Try it! You'll be surprised.
