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ByJ.W. KISER III
Rappahannock News Contributing Writer
Not so long ago, practicing the art of horsemanship was considered a prerequisite for leadership. It is easy to understand why.
Leadership, like horsemanship, requires setting a direction and then getting there. Leadership is persuading others to go along when they are reluctant. Whether employees of a business, members of Congress or troops in the field, when they don’t want to follow the program, the leader has lost control. And control is the rider’s mantra.
A rider on a rebellious horse is like a ship’s captain with a mutinous crew. This bigger, more powerful creature can only be controlled through competence. Competence is the handmaiden of control.
Control, discipline, psychology, bonding between man and beast are the key ingredients of horsemanship. And like a good business leader, a good rider can take over any horse and get it under control. Let’s first talk about horse psychology which is a close approximation to human psychology. There are two aspects, PM and AM: premounting and after mounting.
PM. Horses understand bread and butter issues. They have a definite “what’s in it for me” orientation. If they haven’t had a carrot for a while, they don’t come rushing. As with business or politics, it’s necessary to constantly remind the equine customer of the good things you have been doing lately. Otherwise, out of sight is out of mind. Understanding this undog-like fidelity is crucial for horses kept in pastures - that is “free” horses, living democratically, not incarcerated in those prisons called stalls. Affection is best assured by the horse knowing the hand that feeds. Pastured horses don’t otherwise run up and say “ride me.” Feed, like a good paycheck, can be more reliable than simple affection.
Bonding with the beast in important to get that essential quality, “responsiveness.” Though materialistic, horses do have an emotional, perhaps even spiritual side, but it needs cultivation, horses are social. They like company, and bond best with good communicators. Horse communication is partly a matter of being around, not unlike “management by walking around,” the hot new concept of the 1980s that any good horseman could have told the professors. And as with horses, so too people: the best form is talking, plain old face-to-face communication. Horses like gentle noises and “stroking,” the latter now a recognized management tool. Cooing, that-agirls, that-a-boys, patting, are multipurpose signals that say: I’m here, I love you, be nice, don’t hurt me.
Grooming is a horse’s “toilette.”It is also part of the bonding process that builds team spirit, like Friday afternoon beer parties. This is designed to help get on the horse, remembering that if it changes its mind, and rider has a problem. These confidence building measures all serve the ultima ratio, control.
And don’t sneak up on a horse. They like advance warning. Horses have been provided by nature with an ingrained fright syndrome when confronted with the unexpected, no doubt relecting the same experience with surprises as people have - they are
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