Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Horse Training

Well if this title doesn't catch your eye and make you think that I have completely lost my mind then I'm not sure what else will.

I have horses and have prepared them from the foal stage to riding phenom. During this time the horse must learn that even though I look and smell like a predator that I am actually his/her friend and that I won't "eat" him. Sometimes I feel as if the weight machine is NOT my friend and that it will EAT me!!!

If you are familar with Pat Parelli, he is a natural horseman and likes to play "games" with horses to teach them various skills and techniques that will later be used in their life. One of them to help a horse through any confusion or fear is to be "passively persistent in the proper position."

We need to be this way with ourselves and others as we continue this journey. We can't pound ourselves into eating right or exercising. But we can gently remind ourselves and continue to put ourselves in the right frame of mind and position ourselves for success. In the words of another horseman, Clinton Anderson, "we must be as gentle as possible but as firm as necessary" to achieve the desired outcome.
We can then ride off into the sunset and live happily everafter :)

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