Quote:
Mark Murray wrote:
Hi Cherie,
But, you are training in aikido for power. You don't care to "kick ass" but you do use aikido to make a horse behave.  Or to make it do what you want it to. That's power. Horse wants to do one thing and you want the horse to do something else. It's a power struggle. You want to win. It's all about power and overcoming an "attacker". In this case, a horse that is being ornery.
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lol anyone who thinks they can MAKE a horse do anything it does not want to do is fooling themselves. My work with horses is not a power struggle and there is no wanting to win. Sometimes I want to do what I want to do and sometimes I let the horse tell me what it wants to do. Sometimes we compromise. Most ornery horses are just trying to protect themselves from a perceived threat or are responding to people based on humans having tried to use force to get what they want. Interestingly the thing I am learning the most and applying to horses that I am learning in aikido is that the less I try to make them do what I want and the less strength and power I use the more successful the outcomes. Even when the horse is standing on his hind legs trying to intimidate me into letting go of the lead rope or his foot. I work on a horse who previously took three people to get the job done using force and pain some whose previous farriers refused to come back because of how bad they were and another one whose trimmer left her sore and barely touched because she was so difficult. I get the job done with out drama and little to no stress for me or the horse or its owner. One key is to be willing to let things take as long as they take and not being in a big hurry.
[quote=David Orange;318718
Well, Carsten and I (and others) have openly wondered what inspired people to begin aikido. You tell us it wasn't for the power to throw people, but you don't say what it was. So please tell us why you chose that path?
But from this two things remain unclear: are you really developing the power that aikido was intended to develop? and What was your purpose in beginning training?
Very interested in your response.
David[/QUOTE]
I am pretty sure I have answered those questions more than once in threads that asked that particular question or at least to the extent I am willing to share publicly. Will say again that part of it does have a lot to do with wanting to improve as a horseman. Not to gain more power over horses but to have a better relationship with them but mostly to become a more calm centered individual who can respond to stresses/conflicts in life without all of the drama/fighting.