Guest Blog Post # 44: "Unless You're Incredibly Pigheaded, You Don't Have to Live With Your Decisions" by the great Bill Woods

Unless you're incredibly pigheaded, you don't have to live with your decisions.

That's because you can change them! I have said time and again that a rider's most important character trait is self awareness. Question yourself constantly. When you do something, do it with conviction...then afterwards question yourself some more.

The blogs and the message board threads are interesting. I make myself read them even if in some cases I expect to roll my eyes at their points of view. I keep saying to myself, "What if they ARE right? Or even partially right? Where would that leave me?" I think it's important to seek out opinions that you know don't just reinforce your own.

What prompted this diatribe? Observing serious errors in training judgment which were not my business to correct or even comment upon to the riders. I'm not speaking of literal abuse. That would trigger my interference whether invited or not. I am speaking of lesser offenses--the kind that leave you shaking your head and mumbling, "Stupid, stupid, STUPID!"

Every riding day there are so many decisions to be made, so many fine lines to parse. I am rarely in my own riding accused of being a shrinking violet. If a horse needs a firm hand or a sharp whack, I feel no compunction in obliging. But every second you must say to yourself, "What's this horse thinking?" Just because you're not getting the reaction you want, does that make him obstinate? Is he confused? Frustrated? Hurting? For today has he given you everything he's going to give? Is asking for more just your ego talking?

This is not the place for me to dictate answers. I just want you, please, to be asking those questions.