With a Dash of Faith
Mar 30- Apr 5, 2015
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| ADA by San Antonio Texas Equine Event Photographers Genie Images |
Shot: Canon 6D w/70-200 f./2.8, 1/160 sec @ f/4.0, ISO 10,000
My horse friend of 25+ years and organizer of
Lone Star Western Dressage,
Sherry Rosser Carroll, invited me to come to the
Alamo Dressage Association clinic at the
San Antonio Rose Palace this weekend. She sent me a Facebook message stating that Jace was going to the dressage show to be part of an evening clinic where
Dr. Lew Sterret would ride Jace for the first time. I was skeptical to say the least!
I have met Jace a few times and each time he has presented himself as an opinionated teenager with an independent attitude. He is a leggy, 3 yr old, 1/2 Arabian (Egyptian background) and 1/2 Quarter Horse. He was born under Sherry's care and has been her baby boy ever since. He is delightful yet trying. He is curious yet reluctant. He is athletic yet rambunctious. These clever youngsters often take the most time to figure out the best training methods; they tend to think ahead and make their own decisions.
So . . . this young horse was going to be loaded into a small trailer, unloaded into a new and bustling environment, put into a strange stall without any of his horse friends around, lead into a small pen in center ring solo, crowds of people chattering all about, and then was to be saddled and ridden for the first time ever. YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHAAAAAT?! This could not be a good thing!
The horse community is inundated with these, with what could be considered, snake oil salesmen that can "cure" any bad horse or jump thru a ring of fire in 4 easy steps. We, as good equestrians, have attended the clinics, read the books, and watched the video's to learn all of these wondrous training techniques. It all seems so simple when the genius trainer does it and yet when we get home . . . nothing seems to work quite the same. I believe that these trainers have amazing gifts as horseman and even more amazing talents as marketers. I know they can do what they do with a horse AND tell a good story while doing it. I also believe that there are many folks that watch these guru's and then believe they can do the same thing with their horse at home; most cannot. The guru's are fortunate to have these skills and we aspire to have that wonderful touch and sensibility. So, yes . . . I am a skeptic.
I arrived early to say hello and offer her husband an older camera to video the big event. I then positioned myself away from everyone to observe and photograph what I could through the round pen railings. Jace was in the round pen alone and would occasionally roll or run around bucking which drew laughs from the crowd. It was start time! Dr. Lew rode in on a beautiful palomino and began by speaking to the crowd about faith. "Oh crap," I thought to myself, THIS was the big trailer in the parking lot that had
Sermon on the Mount plastered on the side. I didn't come for a sermon, I came to watch some horse training! Blah Blah Blah . . . he rambled on and I sat alone thinking of how my faith has wandered for the past few years. Then he said something that pricked my ears,
"Your faith is personal. It does not have to be in a church. You do not have to share it with others. It is between you and God. It should fill you with joy and trust." Okay, you have my attention . . . what else can you do mister cowboy preacher man.
He spoke clearly as he discussed trust and relationships. He related it all to this young horse and to the people in your life. He talked, he watched, he listened, he interacted, he created a relationship between himself and the interested Jace whom he recently met. Dr. Lew knew the psychology and timing of making a connection. He understood that when things get tough, the natural reaction for humans and animals is to back out of the situation. Jace quickly understood his roll and happily joined Dr. Lew to learn new things; JOY. There were moments of resistance but they calmly faded away and Jace came back for more; TRUST. This man was good cause even I got it . . . in my life and with the people/animals in it.
Jace and Dr. Lew continued to work together and in the end, Jace was saddled and ridden within a 2 hour period. He was able to walk, jog, and lope both directions of the round pen (without any bucking I might add). Dr. Lew then had the round pen opened up and took Jace into the large expanse of the show ring. He explained (and showed us) that at some point you have to let the "walls" down and trust. They walked around calmly in only a halter and lead rope with a relaxed frame and look in each of their faces. The pair came back into the round pen and finished the program. Dr. Lew dismounted and then remounted from the offside to wrap up the evening. He sat facing his crowd as Jace was facing the other way . . . yes, the man was backwards in the saddle with a horse that had only been saddle broke for 30 minutes. Pretty incredible.
The evening was a success. Jace was not stressed (not near as much as his mother, Sherry!). He had taken it all in, survived, and was better for it. I had witnessed a man dealing with a young horse, nervous mother, chattering crowd, while educating us all on trust. I came away a different person because of this event; I thought about my faith and relationships and I wondered how my life could be better. I went to bed blissful.
Jeanne Harford
San Antonio Photographer
San Antonio Equine Photographer
San Antonio Event Photographer
Texas Horse Show Photographer
Texas Event Photographer
