One of the richest things
about becoming a fine horseman
is what it teaches you about becoming a man.
Riding a mount well
is like living your life well.
Both horse and your life
are yours to control.
Sit easy in your saddle
and in your life.
Go with the gait in both.
Gentle with the reins
and knees.
Develop close communication that
collects the vital pulse of horse and life.
Don't fight what you can direct.
And always be in control,
even when frightened and unsure.
Steady is for your horse
and all the people in your life.
Study carefully the care and feeding
of your life,
just as you do for your horse.
Choose an apple over sugar,
even though for the moment
sweet sounds very good.
Pet and curry your horse
to make the coat shine,
and do the same for your life.
Polish your boots
and trim her hooves when she is shod.
There is lots of stable cleaning for a horse,
and so it is with life.
Roll with it, because that is what a man does for his horse
and his life.
Look the part of a horseman.
When you clean the stable,
dress for it.
But when you ride,
change to look the part
of a proud rider
instead of a stable hand.
When you ride well,
you and your mount become one.
When you live right,
you and your life blend seamlessly.
And never make your horse look silly,
keep her away from locoweed.
And if you have to brand her,
do it where it does not show.
If you do all this,
life's roughest trots
will be the gait of a
Tennessee walking-horse.
Doug Minnis
For Jackson Perkins
September 6, 2009