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Motivation from Moshi, by Jane Savoie

A new fellow moved into the barn this week. His barn name is Joe, though his registered name is a mile long and beyond my ability to pronounce. We’ve had some interesting conversations. Joe’s been around. He’s very smart and worldly, and a really nice fellow.

Joe and I watched the barn’s farrier working on one of the young horses, and started talking about our experiences with farriers. He told me about a guy who was so sure he knew everything there was to know about feet, that he wouldn’t listen to anyone else. This farrier told the horse owners that HE was the trained professional, and they had to agree with anything and everything he decided to do with their horses’ feet, no questions asked, or they had to find another farrier.

I remembered a saying I once heard, that the dumbest people are the ones who think they know everything. When I shared it with Joe, he started to laugh. He said his owner told the guy the same thing, and then immediately hired a different farrier. While Joe’s person respected the man’s training and experience, she also has a great deal of horse knowledge and experience of her own. She was not about to ignore her responsibility of making sure that her horse had the best care possible. She would not blindly give complete control of her horse’s care over to anyone, no matter how much they claimed to know.

There are two lessons here. One: don’t give your personal power over to anyone, especially if they demand it. The very fact that someone demands blind obedience should make you suspect. Only those who are insecure about their own knowledge or abilities would demand that you follow them without question. Someone who really does know what they are doing would welcome questions as an opportunity to explain.

The second lesson is to remember to always remain the student no matter how accomplished you may be. There is always more to learn. As soon as you think you know it all, your mind closes. Remember: learning, like life, is a process and a journey, not a destination. The mind is like a parachute. To function property, it must be open!

I’m so glad my own farrier is always learning. He’s kept my feet feeling good for a long time. And, when he learns about new techniques or reads the latest research, he’s willing to share it with Jane. That gives her the opportunity to learn as well, and helps her make good decisions regarding my care.

Are you still learning? How could you attain some new information today? Make it your goal to learn something new in the next 24 hours, and then share it with me. Okay? I want to learn too!

Love, Moshi

Jane Savoie
1174 Hill St ext.
Berlin, VT 05602
Jane’s Website
DressageMentor.com

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