Traits that make a great horseman/top professional

[Lunabear1988]

Something I’ve been pondering lately after riding in a clinic that I had really been looking forward too. Before that I was watching a clinic with another BNT in a different discipline. It just got me thinking and observing the difference between the horse people at the top (whether that be in competition or just a gifted and well regarded horseman) and those struggling.

Of course there are individuals that are at the top and an example of what we don’t want to be but I’m talking about those we do have a great way horses.

What do you guys think the traits are that make someone a great horseman?

Personally, what I’ve been noticing, is the greats that I admire hold themselves accountable for the training and riding, not the horse. The horse is rarely to blame.

I’m a Dressage rider but admire others in different disciplines. I’ve noticed most great horseman adhere a lot to some “classical” or traditional ways of training.

They always seem like they are or for most of their career, were great students. Students of the horses and of other mentors. You typical hear them reference other trainers and sometimes even well regarded horseman in other disciplines.

They often have higher standards.

They don’t make excuses. When it’s snowing, they ride. When it’s windy, they ride. When it’s cold, they still do a small walk session.

They seem a little more open to discussing theories and different training strategies than most low level or middle of the pack type trainers I’ve seen locally.

It seems to me, the more bitter and close minded the individual/trainer, the more stuck they will stay. Something I’ve been pondering in regards to who i train with and also how I can improve myself as a horse person.

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

Like you, I admire those professionals who are open to new information and not afraid to change what they’re doing when they discover a better method.
Most of all, I think a great horseperson always puts the horse’s welfare ahead of every other goal.

[Lunabear1988]

I just thought of another one. That are very confident. Not cocky, always trying to learn, always listening to the horse first. But confident.

I’ve noticed the more accomplished the trainer, the less talking about others they do, typically.

[Scribbler]

I think that no one gets to the top of their field, whatever it is, by being bitter or close minded or self-limiting. However, they do need to have discrimination, the ability to stick to plan of action, and the ability to prioritize. They need to be able to recognize a productive approach or new idea, and not be off chasing red herrings or going down dead end streets. they need to be able to pick a productive approach and stick with it long enough to have results. And they do need to not try to do everything in their field.

This is on top of having natural talent and exceptional acquired skills in whatever the field is.

You can have talent and skills but lack the ability to set a plan and see it through to the end.

On the other hand, you can have great determination and staying power, but less talent and fewer skills, and grind away getting nowhere.

People at the top of their field, any field, are always exceptions and outliers. It is always worth going to see what they have to say, as much for their character and approach as for the specific content.

Generally such people are open to genuine new ideas, research, information, because that is what has propelled them to the top of their field. That doesn’t mean that they tolerate fools, or want to hear the half-baked ideas of people who don’t know very much. There is usually a certain modesty coupled with an assurance that they probably do know more than anyone in the room, but not more than anyone in the world.

However, for most of us, it’s rare that our mentors and teachers and professionals are going to be at the top of their fields. So we do need to learn to choose what we really value in those we have access to, who are realistically most likely to be middling in rank.

[Lunabear1988]

@Scribbler very well said. I definitely don’t think that if everyone just does as what’s laid it here, we will all be riding at the top. There are so many factors to making it the top. But I do think we all have a chance to greatly improve ourselves as riders and overall horseman! I think that’s what’s so fun about this sport. We all can improve if we want. Even in small steps.

[Lunabear1988]

@Scribbler to comment on your last paragraph, you are right that we are most likely not regularly training with the top professionals regularly. And overall I think that’s fine. I really think that we can learn something from many. Some of horse people that have taught me the most weren’t big names at all. Just really good horseman.

But I’m becoming more turned off by those who claim they want to continue their education (and move up in the sport) but constantly put down every other professional in the sport. Those that have no trainers themselves and that do the occasional clinic but only those who will basically “praise them.” Those same trainers (I have two in mind that I’ve worked with) I’ve noticed have a string of students going nowhere and have horrible confidence. It’s very eye-opening.

[Scribbler]

Well, every field has all kinds of levels, it goes for the arts and professions as well as sports. Generally you start wherever you start, and if you make progress, in retrospect you might think that your 8th grade teacher had some really great ideas, or that they were in fact a drunk and a fool. Starting to see the levels and characters in the scene around you and local to you is a good sign, it shows that you are starting to know enough to evaluate what you are seeing.

Most people in most disciplines aren’t going anywhere, and spend a lot of time and energy in a small local circle which includes a lot of gossiping. This is true of musicians, artists, etc. It’s true of horse people too. Most players are locked in the local and small time and always will be.

Once you start to be able to evaluate the players in your local scene, then you have the ability to pick and choose, and simply avoid the ones you don’t want to work with. No amount of complaining about them will make them stop complaining about other people! You might however have to decide what deal with the devil you are going to make if you don’t have access to people who are tops in their field. IMHO it’s always good to look at the long term students of the trainer, and decide if that’s where you want to be and how you want to end up. Of course you have to already be riding well enough to be able to evaluate how their students ride!

In all fields, you will find people with talent and skills who haven’t made a big name for themselves because of circumstances or personality. And you will find people without much talent and skills, who are great at self promotion. If you want to learn, you are much better off with the first type than the second type, but you have to be able to recognize them. And you might need to be alert to what has held them back, that is what problems they are struggling with.

Ideally you want people who have talent and skills, and also the life skills and professionalism to rise to a position commensurate with their ability. And importantly who are honest to themselves and others about that position and ability.

[Foxglove]

Luck, talent, and clear vision. There’s a mercenary element too . . . I read where a top rider (woman) bought horses off the track, trained them, and every two years sold the newly trained horse(s) and bought a better ones until she was able to afford a really, really good horse. I understand that on one level --on the other --selling my horses would feel like selling my children.

[emipou]

Just my own list…

Someone who is able to separate their emotions from the ride.
Someone who is able to find joy even when the horse throws them a curveball, laugh it off and patiently ask again.
Someone who is kind, but not timid.
Someone who is not scared to step things back if needed.
Diplomacy - and this can be people relationships, or horses.
Little ego.
Horse is rarely to blame.

[Obsidian_Fire]

@emipou

Just my own list…

Someone who is able to separate their emotions from the ride.
Someone who is able to find joy even when the horse throws them a curveball, laugh it off and patiently ask again.
Someone who is kind, but not timid.
Someone who is not scared to step things back if needed.
Diplomacy - and this can be people relationships, or horses.
Little ego.
Horse is rarely to blame.

I really like this. Great list.

[atr]

They tend to have a level of self discipline that the rest of us largely lack, also.

[Scribbler]

@atr

They tend to have a level of self discipline that the rest of us largely lack, also.

Yes. Or, speaking as an amateur who has a nonhorse professional career, a level of self discipline that the rest of us can’t or won’t bring to riding. I know the level of self discipline it took me to get through grad school. Riding is my hobby.

[kiwichick]

I think one of their traits is they are better able to identify the right horses, and i dont just mean an athletic ability, every facet of trainability, and their rideability.
they dont waste their time sorting out baggage or patiently working through various issues, they generally pick really well in the first place.
something i unashamedly lack.

[Texarkana]

@emipou

Just my own list…

Someone who is able to separate their emotions from the ride.
Someone who is able to find joy even when the horse throws them a curveball, laugh it off and patiently ask again.
Someone who is kind, but not timid.
Someone who is not scared to step things back if needed.
Diplomacy - and this can be people relationships, or horses.
Little ego.
Horse is rarely to blame.

Love this!

All of this boils down to the professional being a total horseman/woman and not “just” a good rider/strong competitor.

Along with diplomacy and little ego, I’d include professionalism. I cannot stand a pro who can’t act like just that. I am constantly flabbergasted by the lack of professionalism in the horse world. Maybe it’s because horses fall into that intersection between hobby and career.

[Scribbler]

@Texarkana

Love this!

All of this boils down to the professional being a total horseman/woman and not “just” a good rider/strong competitor.

Along with diplomacy and little ego, I’d include professionalism. I cannot stand a pro who can’t act like just that. I am constantly flabbergasted by the lack of professionalism in the horse world. Maybe it’s because horses fall into that intersection between hobby and career.

Even more complicated, that intersection between hobby, career and children.

[piedmontfields]

The best trainers IMO have the welfare and athletic development of the horse in mind at all times.

[Highflyer]

I think they’re two very different things. It’s possible to have great feel/ innate ability/ love horses and be an incredible rider and trainer, but also be completely unsuccessful for any number of reasons (lack of work ethic, bad luck, bad money management, bad people skills etc.) It’s also possible to be a very successful professional rider/ trainer by finding the right niche or by working ten times harder than anyone else or by being incredibly lucky or by being incredibly unethical, none of which require great horsemanship.

[notlost]

Putting the horse first. Someone who values what they know, but loves to learn. The best horse people I know are still hungry to learn more.

[Scribbler]

@Highflyer

I think they’re two very different things. It’s possible to have great feel/ innate ability/ love horses and be an incredible rider and trainer, but also be completely unsuccessful for any number of reasons (lack of work ethic, bad luck, bad money management, bad people skills etc.) It’s also possible to be a very successful professional rider/ trainer by finding the right niche or by working ten times harder than anyone else or by being incredibly lucky or by being incredibly unethical, none of which require great horsemanship.

Yes totally agree.

[Scribbler]

@kiwichick

I think one of their traits is they are better able to identify the right horses, and i dont just mean an athletic ability, every facet of trainability, and their rideability.
they dont waste their time sorting out baggage or patiently working through various issues, they generally pick really well in the first place.
something i unashamedly lack.

Now this would be true for the horse pros who make their name competing.

Not so much for the ones who make their name fixing problem horses! The really good Western groundwork and horsemanship trainers.

And also, even for competition, it’s true that a very good pro can bring along an athletic horse that would be a surly hot mess in the hands of a lesser rider.