A New Feature at Horse Expo Canada
The idea of a horsemanship summit at Horse Expo Canada was born from a spirit of innovation and the constant quest to better ourselves as horsemen and women.
We wanted to capitalize on the tremendous level of experience and in-depth study of the horse that the clinicians we have gathered for the Expo possess. Providing a place to collaboratively discuss some of the biggest questions facing the horse world today adds meaningful value.
A summit, where hard-earned knowledge is swapped and shared, would be a huge value-add for Expo attendees—like getting a front-row ticket to an after-expo dinner table where the clinicians meet up to trade stories and recent learnings. These are the reasons why we are having the summit, but to answer the question of what the Elite Horsemanship Summit is, I first need to define horsemanship as I see it.
My definition of horsemanship is pretty simple. Simple to say, not as simple to carry out. As the name suggests, horsemanship is a relationship between horse and man. I find it important to make the distinction that we can be riders and not horsemen. I know that seems like a strange concept, but where the difference lies is in the motivation behind our interactions with horses.
I believe a relationship is first seeking to understand the one I am in a relationship with and then, secondly, being understood by them. This is a principle I borrowed from Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
To further flesh out my definition of horsemanship, I would like to borrow again. This time, a story from a mentor of mine and one of the esteemed panel members of this year’s summit, Jonathan Field. Jonathan said that in his study of professional surfer Laird Hamilton’s success, something that stood out to him was Laird becoming a “waterman.” What he meant by “waterman” is seeking to truly understand the ocean and water in order to become excellent as a surfer. Knowing about the tides, undertows, currents, etc., gave him an intimate knowledge of the water he wished to “ride.” The story made me want to be a horsewoman—that is, a woman who studies the horse. I wanted to learn all I could about them and to communicate in a way that they understand.
Editor’s Choice
The purpose of this summit is to provide a place where horsemen and women can study the horse—a place where we can listen to professional horsemen and women exchange their learnings with horses in the hope of increasing our collective knowledge and understanding of the horse.
I feel this is a worthy endeavour for us as a horse expo—to give something back to the horse, as well as to the people who love them so dearly. I feel that when people know better, they can do better. I also believe people are doing the best they can with what they have.
So, by bringing together some of the great minds in the horsemanship world today for a summit, we can give people a leg up on their journey with horses. This, I believe, will make life better, richer, and safer for both humans and horses.
The fact that you made the effort to come to Horse Expo Canada tells me you are seeking what is elite for you and your horse. Words to describe “elite” are “best,” “choice,” and “crème de la crème.” This is what we are aiming to bring you with this summit: the best of the best, presenting hard-earned knowledge on topics highly relevant to you as horsemen and women. I hope you will join us for what promises to be a truly special time of learning and sharing.
Article by Elisha Bradburn – Elisha and her husband, Clay, own Faithful Farm, an equestrian centre and The Frosty Pony, a western wear and ranch store in Langley, BC. Elisha’s passion with horses lies in psychology based horsemanship, with a strong consideration for the horse’s point of view. Elisha is available for clinics, expos, demonstrations and speaking engagements and can be followed on her Legacy Horsemanship pages on Facebook and Instagram or e-mailed at [email protected]
