When Fear Becomes the Bridge to Better Horsemanship

Fear doesn’t always look like nerves. Sometimes it looks like freezing in a barn aisle, avoiding eye contact with a horse, or feeling your chest tighten the second a muzzle reaches toward your hand. Today we’re sharing a story that starts exactly there and ends with something that still surprises us: Sandy Bernard now owns two horses and handles them with growing calm and skill at her facility in Quitman, Texas on Lake Fork.

Sandy and I talk through what her fear felt like, where it may have started. We connect the dots between human anxiety and horse behavior, because horses are prey animals built for vigilance and flight. That shared instinct becomes the bridge to better horsemanship: when you understand fear, you can learn to lead with steadiness, clarity, and empathy instead of force.

You’ll also hear the practical path Sandy used to rebuild confidence around horses: tiny daily stretches, journaling victories, learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, and creating a calm communication plan with her husband so tension doesn’t spill into the horses. We cover real new-owner moments too, from the early learning curve of horse care to how wind, environment, and energy changes can shake confidence and how to respond without quitting.

If you’ve ever dreamed of having a horse but felt held back by fear, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share it with a friend who needs a steady push, and leave a review with the small brave step you’re going to take next.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:17

Hello everyone, and thank you once again for tuning in to The Horse Fix, where you can get your horse fix, you can fix your horse, and even help yourself along the way.

Meeting Sandy And The Fear

SPEAKER_01 0:30

I'm Dr. Sandra Holt, and today's episode is taking place in Quitman, Texas, right on Lake Fork. And if you haven't been to Lake Fork, you need to go there. It is absolutely stunning. Just a beautiful location. In this episode, I will be interviewing Sandy Bernard. Sandy came to me several years ago and asked me, would I help her conquer her fear of horses? Let me tell you folks, it was a challenge. She was petrified, not just fearful. I mean, the anxiety she even just being in the vicinity of a horse was overwhelming. So we had a challenge on our hands, but we did work through it. She was very successful in conquering that fear and ended up feeling very comfortable around the horse and handling the horse and even got on the horse. So fast forward to today, Sandy actually owns two horses of her own here in Quitman. And she has a beautiful facility, and we had a lesson today, for the first lesson she's had since that many years ago with me. So it was an interesting session. It was very fruitful. I was very proud of her. Really loved her horses. And you're going to hear the interview just after I had given that lesson. I wanted to let you know that the quality of the sound is not great. I did this recording there at her house instead of my studio. So there's going to be a little hollow, echo echoey sound to my voice, and apologize for that. But I thought I'm going to sacrifice the quality of sound for the excellent content. I think you'll get a lot out of it. After we did that recording the next day, we had another lesson. Now y'all have to just catch you up and fill you in on the next podcast and how that went, but I can tell you that it was even better than the first lesson. So let's get started. So Sandy, it's been a while. We didn't know exactly when I was going to be able to get here, but I finally made it over.

SPEAKER_04 3:02

I'm super excited and in awe that we're even doing this. So I love it. I'm so happy.

SPEAKER_01 3:08

That's awesome. I was at least as excited as you were to do this. I have been watching your videos that you've sent me. We've done some remote training, if you will, and I wanted to get hands-on, and I was really interested in how well you were doing, and to see your facility and to just check it all out. And she's got a great facility. She's got two great horses. I think they're perfect for her and her husband, Lance. And you might remember me talking a few years ago on the podcast about this lady who came into my barn and was literally afraid to walk down the aisle of the barn because the horses had their heads poked out of their stalls. And I mean, she was terrified.

SPEAKER_05 3:56

Yeah, and they were looking at me too. It made it worse.

SPEAKER_01 3:59

It was a process. We uh started out very slowly, if I remember right. It's been a few years ago. It has been, yeah. But I remember the day that you said, you know, I'm I'm wanting to conquer a fear.

SPEAKER_05 4:14

One of the biggest fears of my life, really.

SPEAKER_01 4:17

And so how did the fear of horses come about?

SPEAKER_05 4:20

I don't have really visual memories, but I have the the feeling of it. But I do vaguely remember being like at a summer camp when I was young. I don't know if I if I fell off. I don't know really what happened, but I know it was like it's been a lifelong. And so I've tried though several times because my daughter actually loved horses when she was younger. And so her and her friend would always play horse. And you know, I just stayed away from real ones. But I gave her lessons once and then we tried to do a birthday party once when I had my honeymoon. We went riding once, and every time it was a bad experience, I jumped off the horse and I ran out of the pasture and I was done and over with.

SPEAKER_01 5:00

So my gosh.

SPEAKER_05 5:01

Yeah, it's just yeah. And and so now here you are owning two horses, which is crazy because we casually thought, well, maybe we'll get a horse just because of the way the situation came about. And then yeah, we ended up with two.

SPEAKER_01 5:16

And I watched your progress over the past several months. Now, when did you actually get them?

SPEAKER_05 5:22

January the 10th of 26th. Okay. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 5:25

So it's just been what? When we made so five months at the most, and you have made terrific progress. And I think it's like anything else. Let's say we're trying to learn Spanish. Spend three weeks in Mexico and you'll learn much more than if you're taking lessons. Well, get a horse and you'll learn much more about the horse and your horsemanship when you have one than if you're just going out there and trying to get a lettuce.

SPEAKER_05 5:57

And I'll say too, I I spent, I want to say maybe six months with you when you got me over that fear and actually got me to ride a few times. I I remember doing that, and that was just amazing. But it had been that long, and so I was a little bit scared again because it has, you know, because of that time frame. And so recently we had like a little small town fair and a rescue mission company came and they had a horse there. And the lady was so kind, and we stood there. I was still a little nervous, you know, standing by the fence with with her horse, but we stood and we just talked for like an hour, and I would pet the horse and pet the horse, you know, and that was really that happened in October, and I think that that was the the thing that catapulted me to be willing to actually get one, you know, and you were able to just stand casually while you're talking to this person and having a horse stand by.

Where Fear Comes From

SPEAKER_01 6:50

So, guys, those of you that have a fear of horses, this is a good good story for you to hear because it is possible. I mean, Sandy did it, and I'm gonna tell you right now, anybody can do it. I mean, I had to hold her hand walking through the barn. I mean, it was it and it was real. I mean, she and anytime you're afraid, it's real. Which brings me to the point that when horses are afraid, it's real. And so those of you that have a fear of horses, remember that that's the horse's uh primary instinct is fear. So you can be a good horseman and have good horsemanship just because you have something in common that you know what fear is, and they are I mean, they look for they look for something to be afraid of. That's how they survived. You've heard me say this before 58 million years ago in the prehistoric days, they were prey and they they still feel that they are, so they were twelve inches tall, the dinosaurs chased them, they ate them, so their only way of survival was to flee. So therefore, fear kept them alive, and fear keeps us alive. Uh healthy fear is important in our lives. But Sandy was so wise in knowing that there's a certain fear that you do and should conquer. And so I'm happy that Sandy did that. So, Sandy, when we first started, what was it that kind of turned it for you that you started to feel this time or last time? Last time.

SPEAKER_05 8:40

Last time, well, honestly, I think initially because I had a lot of faith in you, a lot of prayer at first, and then a lot of faith in you. And I really appreciated how you didn't push me like you really worked with where I was at, but yet you challenged me and you respected when I was scared and not wanting to push past a certain point. You know, you just worked with me well like that. And I think before I started to trust the horse, I learned to trust you, and then I trusted that you knew better than me, and then I was going to, you know, step out and do the things that you wanted me to do because you know I knew that you knew better.

SPEAKER_01 9:19

So well, and that's a big compliment to me, but also that's something important to know about horses as well. They have the same mentality. So let's say you're riding your horse on the trail and a deer pops up. If you have established trust that your horse trusts you, they'll be less apt to bolt or to uh be petrified of that deer because they have trust in you. So it's really important that you create that bond with a horse and let them have that trust in you so they know they can always depend on you to guide them through. So I kind of treat my clients like they're a horse. I first of all I let them know that they're in control at all times. They they do have control of their own body and of their own mind. However, I will guide them, I will be their leader, and a good leader guides. They don't push. And so when you're riding, you need to become a good leader. So now you've gotten past that, and then it's been years, and then you buy these horses. What prompted you to buy horses in the first place?

How Trust Changes Everything

SPEAKER_05 10:32

Well, we got this land and old buildings in the back that we were gonna just demolish. We didn't really realize what was back there, and because we bought it for the for the house. So we looked, we looked and we were like, oh, that's those are stables, you know. And I sent you the video and you were kind of excited about it. So I thought, oh, well, maybe they're not that bad, you know. So we cleaned them up just as part of cleaning up the property, just to, you know, want everything to be nice and because there was it's been there for a while and not cared for for a few years. So and so yeah, so we cleaned it up and I just kind of jokingly said, Oh, maybe one day we'll get a horse. That would be fun, you know. I have my daughter and granddaughter here, and they were coming at the time. And so it was just kind of, you know, almost like a a dream that didn't seem like it would be reality. And and then my husband, he had a horse when he was in his teens for about five years, and it was just him and his sister that cared for that. So my husband is a great leader, and so when I started thinking about it, I thought, well, he kind of knows horses, he knows them a lot more than I. And so it's kind of like I trusted you. I felt like I could trust my husband. And he had recently, over the past three years, gone on a trip to Idaho and somewhere else, Montana, wherever, and uh, they would ride horses like in some really steep mountains, and they were, yes, it was very intense. And so I think it brought it back for him. And then he would come home and show me the videos and we would talk about it, you know. And so one day he just is like, Well, if you want to get a horse, we could maybe get a horse. I was like, Really? You know, and so anyway, so yeah, so we just kind of looked a little bit very casually, and then it just these these two guys popped up and it just we went and looked at them, and immediately I was just couldn't believe I was walking in the stables and petting them, and just like they were so calm and sweet, and yeah, so I knew within five minutes I was like, I want this.

SPEAKER_01 12:33

And you do know when you have that kind of connection. So, what drove you in the first place to think that you would want the horses?

SPEAKER_05 12:41

Well, I remember when we were finished the first time, yeah. I really liked the horse that you had me on. I was always working with the same one and it I think the groundwork was my favorite. I wasn't all about conquering the ride necessarily, but I just l I loved the interaction with them and and kind of like playing together and just bonding like that. So okay, I remember when the other horse left and we were done doing our work at the time. And I remember the last lesson, like gonna try to make it through here, but even like earlier today, I almost cried. But I remember just crying and it was like a cry of relief and release and peace and like overcoming and joy and love and like all these things. And it was there was just so much wrapped up in the victory of accomplishing that. And it wasn't just for the conquering, but it was like I said, I just felt really connected. I really like that horse. Well, I'll say this because I had this longing, you know, you saw my office, I have a horse picture on the wall, you know, and I thought I just had this longing. And I thought, you know, if Lance is willing to do it, and I thought it would be a great bonding thing for for us, something we could do together, because that's one thing that we had talked about is like, hey, we need to, you know, we need to find something that we can do together again. We used to do certain things and and when we moved, we lost those opportunities. And so, and then he fishes and he hunts and he does all these trips and does all this stuff. And for me, I thought, well, wow, this will be like my hobby. This'll be something that I can truly l enjoy. Yes, and it's a continuous opportunity to learn and grow.

SPEAKER_01 14:21

And and I know when we were talking earlier, you said you'd rather be out there with the horses than inside getting your textas done. Oh, for for sure.

SPEAKER_05 14:31

Yes. I'd rather be out there like even beautifying the environment there, like doing the tack room and you know, just trimming bushes and just you know, almost like nesting. I felt like I was nesting for these babies to come home, you know. So, yeah, all that work is hard work, but it's fun and invigorating, and I feel like it just strengthens my body just to do the physical work of it. And it's just been fun and bonding. Oh, you know.

SPEAKER_01 15:02

You use your brain, you use your body, you use your emotions whenever you're around a horse. And I think that brings about an overall wellness, you know. And I love that about the horse. So now let's talk about in the beginning in January when your two horses, by the way, I love your horses, they're they're beautiful, they're sweet, and they're very intelligent. They caught on very quickly to end today's lesson, and so did you. So thrilled, so proud of you.

SPEAKER_03 15:36

And I was so surprised. I was like, I was like, oh, you want me to do that already?

unknown 15:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:40

Yeah, I was very surprised. I was excited. And but anyway, so starting in January, how did you proceed? So for the listeners out there that are in the same situation that you are, being afraid, but having that desire and that longing to get somewhere with your horse, what was your plan and how did it go?

SPEAKER_05 15:59

So, my challenge to myself, I think, was to do one thing every time I'm with them that is a stretch that is different, that is growing, that I haven't done before. Even if it's, I mean, I can't even think of all the things. I did, by the way, start journaling in this app where every day I write down what my victory was. But sometimes it was just, I don't know, you know, walking around. Well, this was recently. Well, I walked around behind them because there was I thought, I'm never gonna walk behind a horse ever. I don't care if you touch him on the behind and walk around. I'm not doing that. Just little things. So it had good examples of like really minute things that I know for Lance were it was really nothing, but for me, it was a big deal.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

You know, you mentioned earlier today when you first started grooming, you groomed through that fence.

SPEAKER_05 16:45

There you go.

SPEAKER_01 16:45

There's one thing now today you have no problem grooming.

SPEAKER_05 16:51

No, I'm I mean, I'm I haven't bathed them a lot, but I'm excited about really learning really how to do that well. But yeah, I just think trying to think one time. Well, I think when we first got them, literally it was what five days before the ice storm that came. So that was a really good test too because it like pushed us into like sometimes you just have to press through and overcome something for the sake of you know, managing a hard situation, you know. So I think that doesn't leave room for a lot of fear when you gotta do what you gotta do, you know. So we were doing the get up in the middle of the night, go every six hours, break the ice, you know, figure out how to buy the little the little ice thing to keep it dripping. And I mean, there's just so much to learn that we didn't know, but just force husbandry, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

And yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 17:40

So it's just even just like walking into the stall or you know, putting my hand, like even feeding them carrots or feeding them apples. Like today, I was like, I just love to feed them apples because I just love how they just touch my hand and you feel the little whiskers and their nose is so soft. Well, at first I was kind of like sitting back and taking a step back because I just was so scared they're gonna still bite my hand, you know. But I think now, after all the little things that I've done, I I feel like I trust them, like they're not trying to hurt me. You know, that was a big change in my mind when I realized they're not here to hurt me. Right. And if anything happens, like it would be really windy and she would be kind of elevated, like her head would be up more and she would be, I could just feel the energy. She was just more alert. Well, that would scare me. So I would give, you know, give the rope to Lance. He's gonna walk her in the wind, you know. And so the next day I could walk her in the wind, you know, just little things like that.

SPEAKER_01 18:33

And why do you think Lance could get that accomplished and you couldn't?

SPEAKER_05 18:37

I think he has he had more confidence, I think, just because of his his five-year past and because like the past three years and the riding that they did, they did a lot of hard stuff. I need to show you some of these videos of them like going down these hills that I thought I cannot believe you didn't flip over.

SPEAKER_01 18:52

The key word there was confidence. And horses pick up on that, and when you have confidence, they have confidence. If you have fear or anxiety, that will leak over to them. And so if they're afraid and you're not, they will pick up on your comfortability. For you, Sandy. I've always recommended and still do that you need to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. So when you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, step back and say to yourself, okay, I'm comfortable here even though I'm uncomfortable.

SPEAKER_05 19:29

Yeah, I think it was a big deal like what you just said about the fear thing. When I knew, because I always heard, oh, horses, horses sense their your fear, you know, they can feel your heart beating four feet away or ten feet or whatever it is. And I was so conscious about not wanting to feel fear because I knew that they could feel it. So then if I'm feeling fear and I know they can feel it, then that makes me feel more fear, you know?

SPEAKER_01 19:54

And it's like, okay, don't think of a purple elephant right now. Right. Okay. How can you not? When you've heard it and you've, you know, and it's in your mind, and the same thing, don't be afraid, you know, or or just tell yourself right now, don't swallow. Right. You know, I mean, those kind of things do they play tricks with your mind.

Why She Bought Two Horses

SPEAKER_05 20:17

But I think because of that it was a challenge. And but I thought to myself, because of that awareness, I was very intentional on making myself stay calm because I knew that if I could stay calm, then there's nothing that they can pick up on. So even though I was feeling fear, like I was with my husband, we we would be walking and like I said, doing whatever we're doing. And I would and this is a good thing too with a husband thing, okay? Because we don't always see like the the you know what to do the same way, right? And so, but the agreement ahead of this at the very beginning was look, I know you're the man, I know you've got the experience, all the things, but you have you know that I'm scared and that I'm overcoming. And I know, and we both know that the horses are gonna pick up on that. So if I casually tell you like this right now, no, I don't want to go through that gate right now, like let's go to the left, let's not go into the woods right now. I'm gonna say it that peaceably, like there's no arguing with me. You know what I mean? Like if you can just not push past what I'm telling you. And so I think we were so intentional on just keeping that tone. And I would tell him, okay, right now I feel the wind picking up, and she's kind of got her head up. So, and I would feel the fear, but because I was so aware of that, I made myself not elevate. And so he was so kind to be respectful of that. Then and you know, so I'm like, okay, now I'm my I feel my heart racing. That's what I would tell him. I feel my heart racing right now. So I'm gonna hand her to you, and then you will you take both of them. And so it was almost like I felt like we were talking in code or something like you know, but it was really good because I think we tend he's very Sure of what he wants, and I can be very sure of what I want, you know. And so sometimes it can be like, no, we need to do this. No, we need to do that, you know, blah, blah, blah. And none of it. Arguing by the children. Exactly. It's like you can't do that because they pick up on that. And so I think that that was a huge victory for us that helped us continue to move forward. I admire both of you for seeing that and taking care of that in advance so that you could get through the that's the only way I could do it because I thought I'm gonna end up in a situation where I'm scared, and if I can't just stop and not like intentionally not stop and move forward, like I said, through a gate or whatever, then that just yeah, that makes it worse. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:39

So you started out in January, you were tentative, and you just took it slowly.

SPEAKER_05 22:46

Yeah, it was just one step at a time, and it was consistency too. You know, it was pretty much every day doing something.

SPEAKER_01 22:53

So then the videos you sent me and and the tops we've had over the phone, I saw that you did push yourself just a little bit, just a little past the edge, and then a little more, and then a little more. So today, when I came and I saw all the progress you have made. I mean, amazing, really amazing. What do you feel most proud about, most successful about with your journey with these horses? Ooh, I don't know.

SPEAKER_05 23:23

Okay. You know, when you're a little kid and you're like, I do it myself, you know, it's it's kind of like that. I think that was one victory. One day I text Lance, I was like, hey, I'm at the stables and I'm in the pasture and I'm by myself, you know. And I'm like, I'm just telling you, just you know, just in case, uh, whatever. But just being in there by myself, doing things with them by myself and not feeling like I have to rely on him to open the gate or you know, different things. So yeah, there's a lot of things I'll do by myself now that initially it wasn't that way. He would do it, you know, and I would stay near or whatever. But yeah.

SPEAKER_01 24:02

Are you pretty proud of yourself?

SPEAKER_05 24:04

I think so. Yeah, no, it's a God thing for sure, though, because I'm like, even still now, every once in a while I'll look at him and I'll say, Hey, hey, guess what? And he's like, What? I'm like, we have two horses, you know? He's like, I know it's it's yeah, I know, it's crazy. But yeah, so I would never, ever, ever, ever would have thought, you know, that we'd be in this in this situation.

SPEAKER_01 24:25

Well, and I think that's a lesson for all of us that have been around horses our entire life and have had horses, to remember to appreciate those little things about this magnificent animal, about feeling their muzzle on our palm of our hand, and about feeling their breath against ours. And you know, I mean, we forget those things sometimes when we've been around horses since we were five years old, like I have, and the appreciation and the fact that God has allowed this in our lives. I think you and I getting together was a God thing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 25:04

And the crazy thing is that you lived right behind me for how many years was that? 15 years? And so that I will say this. I used to when I first did the um sorcer with you, yeah, yeah, three years ago. I I was it I was so regretful because I thought, I can't believe I lived behind her this whole time. My daughter could have had lessons with her and I could have done, you know, blah, blah, blah, all the things coulda, woulda, shoulda. But I thought, uh-uh, I can't do that. I'm going with what is the blessing now. I'm moving forward and I'm just gonna do all that I can of what I feel like I'm supposed to do. And I don't even know why we're doing, you know, yeah, why are we doing this? And I don't know, but it's definitely a blessing and very unexpected.

SPEAKER_01 25:47

Well, and I remember we'd have a lesson, and he I think most of the time you would feel really good about the lesson, and I'd say, See you next week, and you'd go, I think so. Yeah. So you still weren't totally convinced that this was your thing and that you really Yeah, because at first I was like, Oh, okay, I got over it.

SPEAKER_05 26:04

It was nice, I pet it. But I do remember even after that, because we l where we lived, there was it was horse country, right? So there at the end of our road, there was another arena or something. So I went walking there one day and I remember the horse came running up to the fence, and I was still kind of like, I trust the one that you had with me, but I don't know this horse. I don't trust this horse. And so I think that's another big overcoming now because I've been so hands-on with these two this the past several months that when I went to your show not too long ago, yeah. I so I thought, I cannot believe this. I'm standing in this arena, there's all these horses that I don't know, and they're all running around. And yes, they have a rider, but I saw a couple of them. They were not happy with what the rider was wanting them to do, you know, and so but I thought I sat and I felt peaceful in that, you know. So I feel like it's repetition, it's exposure, and just a lot of different things that comes together.

Tiny Daily Stretches And Journaling

SPEAKER_01 27:02

Yeah, yeah, folks. I mean, uh, going back to the holding your hand, rocking through the barn, this lady uh month or so ago, you know, came to Sulfur Springs to watch me show my horse, and she literally walked through a maze of horses that were moving around in the practice arena. I almost teared up because I was so happy to see that, you know, to see that progress. And I don't take credit for it. I give I give Sandy and the Lord credit for this, but at the same time, I felt very proud. Extremely proud. Well, Sandy, let me ask you this: what advice would you give to somebody who has always maybe dreamed of or thought have seen themselves with a horse and yet they're fearful? What advice would you give?

SPEAKER_05 27:54

Just taking a little step, you know, just doing one little thing that you wouldn't have normally done before. Nothing is too small, right? So what it just find a small thing that you're willing to stretch over, you know? Yeah, and I feel like, and the other thing too is don't wait for the fear to go away because it's almost like you have to do it afraid. You have to, you know, yeah, I think part of that conquering the fear is when you're feeling it and you take some steps forward and you do the thing. I'm not saying go run and jump on a horse right away, right? Because that's that's almost, you know, it's just ridiculous. It's kind of, you know, too excessive, right? But do do the little thing that you're gonna stretch. You're gonna stretch so enough where you feel the stretch, but where you don't tear and hurt yourself, right?

SPEAKER_01 28:41

Well said. I love what you said of do it when you're afraid. Don't wait not to be afraid because that won't be it won't happen.

SPEAKER_05 28:49

And I think when you're able to conquer it, when you're able to do a small thing, I I feel like it brings me like back childlike doing all this. It's so fun, you know. But I feel like, yeah, there's just so much overcoming in doing a small thing and then feeling the joy of it and feeling you know, the excitement about it and everything that it then it makes you want to do one more thing. Yes, you know? Yes. So it's just taking all the little baby steps.

SPEAKER_01 29:15

When you're working with your horse, what is your strongest asset?

SPEAKER_05 29:19

Well, I've always thought that they were majestic and they're beautiful and they're dynamic and they're just like all these wonderful things and just powerful and all that. And I feel like it's just loving them and respecting them and recognizing that and then treating them accordingly and just having some kind of a connection with them and you know understanding of them and empathy, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:48

Yeah, I I I see that about you. I think that is your strongest point. What do you think your weakest area is when you're working?

SPEAKER_05 29:55

Maybe sometimes not being as assertive. Okay. Maybe. Yeah. Like I think today I was kind of like, yeah, you know, okay, back up. But but I think that but I keep saying, compared to how I was, or compared to this, compared to that, yeah, you know, a month ago or a week ago or whatever, it's it's awesome. Like I have to see where I came from and I can't compare myself to you, right? So I feel like when I look at it's a leadership thing, you know, the leadership and then just understanding what certain things mean in trying to communicate with them, I think. There's there's I mean, there's a lot. I I know there's so much I don't know. You know, I don't pretend to know everything, but I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 30:34

I mean, I learn every day. I learned something today. So what did you learn today? I learned that when a horse has a connection with a human being, that there is a softness that comes over them because I watched it. I watched it as I was working with a horse. They were very they were tenant, they were smart, they caught on. But when I gave the horse over to you, I watched Gracie soft. And so, you know, there's always I learned something every time I give a lesson, you know, and every time I work with a horse, there's there's always something to be learned. We never learn at all. There's no such thing as a finished horse. The horse is never completely trained. When you're with a horse, you're either training it or you're untraining it.

SPEAKER_05 31:26

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 31:28

And so with the moves that you make, ask yourself, am I training this horse or am I training them? Okay. And my last question for you, and then I'll let you let you be if your horses at the end of the day could speak, what would they say about you? Yeah, I'm gonna cry that I love them. Yeah, yeah. I can see your horses saying she loves me.

SPEAKER_05 31:54

Yeah, yeah, and and you don't have to know everything. Like you were saying, we're not gonna know everything about how to train or whatever. So I don't know why or what we're doing, but we're just going day by day and just letting you know, being led to whatever we're doing.

SPEAKER_01 32:11

And and they will lead you to what you're gonna work on. I mean, you can have a plan, and which I always recommend, have a plan when you when you go out there. But that plan could completely go away. Let's say you're gonna plan to lunge your horse. Well, you start uh walking out to the lunge area and he's walking through you and he's not staying where he belongs. So the lunging plan got put on hold while you worked on the leading part. So, or when you start riding, oh, you're gonna work on transitions from a walk to a truck. Well, if you can't get him to walk properly, forget the truck. You'll spend your lesson working on the walk. So you can have a plan, but be ready to alter it relative to what's going on with your horses.

SPEAKER_05 33:01

I feel like there's a lot of life lessons in it, and and you know, I might may not recognize what they all are at the moment or whatever, but I know it's a great thing for leadership and confidence. And when you said confidence before, I think that that was one of the things that I wrote down on one of my days is today I felt like the major confidence shift, and I was able to do all these things. So I think it's it's there's just a lot of life lessons and other things that you can learn that I think help shape an individual in who they are.

Confidence Leaks Into The Horse

SPEAKER_01 33:35

You're you're so well, folks, that's kind of where the interview ended. We actually talked for a little while longer, but unbeknownst to me, the microphone had run out of power. So when I went to play it back, I realized that last part of it was not recorded. But so be it. We had a wonderful two days. Saying goodbye was bittersweet. We were happy about what we accomplished. We did have a little tear in our eyes as we hugged goodbye, but we definitely felt a sense of accomplishment, and I couldn't be more proud of Sandy Bernard. This lady who started needing her hand held through determination, worked through her fear. And I think many of you can probably resonate with Sandy. Even you veteran seasoned writers at some point probably felt the way she did in the beginning, unless you started very young, like I did, or like her 18-month-old granddaughter is doing now. She has no fear and loves the horses. So, Sandy, I recommend to you that you keep it up and you will be shaping an individual who will be a very worthy citizen. So I'm gonna wrap it up now. Thanks to all of you who have listened and who continue to listen. And until next time, may all your clues be with us.

SPEAKER_02 34:54

Bye bye.