doing
18 / Sport and Trail Magazine
BARBRA SCHULTE
PAUSE FROM ALL THE
I
effort-out part of the equation when we work at improving our
skills. By that I mean, “What exercises should we do? How long?
Ok … what’s the next thing?” And then we think, “Just for good
measure … to make sure we’ve got it, let’s do it again … and
again … and, oh … let’s make sure it’s right, so let’s do it again!”
Then when that ride is done, we only think about how we did
in those maneuvers. Everything is measured by what we did.
But what I learned at HPI years ago, added a whole new
dimension to my horse and personal training.
And everything that’s true for us is true
for our horse.
Here’s one of my favorite things to do on a horse to train
recovery.
Every time you stop, exhale and wait for your horse to exhale.
Take your time. Breathe. Let your heart rate come down. At that
moment, you are resetting your body and your mind. Your horse
is doing the same.
Again, wait for your horse to exhale. It might take a little bit.
The great thing is that horses don’t pretend. When they exhale,
they truly relax. When you stop at any gait, be patient. Wait for
your horse to exhale.
When your horse exhales, he absorbs what you just did … and
… he’s patiently waiting and listening to you to guide him for
his next move.
Remember, when you and your horse recover your energy, at
that moment is when both of you progress. If you don’t do this
your progress will be slower.
Recovery takes training which means you have to put it into
your routine for yourself and for your horse all the way through
your rides.
Recovery training applies to everything in our lives. In my
personal life, this was a huge help to me when I went through
the tough time of our son’s passing. I knew I had to recover my
energy. I gave myself time to rest for 6 months or so afterward.
I gave myself permission to listen to what I needed and to take
care of myself. I knew that was the best way for me to regain
my mental, physical and emotional strength.
Learning about training recovery has changed my life … both
in my riding … and personally.
Be patient. Try it out. I think you’ll like it!
Barbra Schulte is a Professional Cutting Horse Trainer, Personal Performance Coach, Author, Clinician, and Equine Consultant.
learned this lesson when I studied personal
performance at the now Human Performance Institute.
It changed my life for the better in so many ways. I am
truly grateful.
I learned that most of us think only of the putting-
ffort-out part of the equation when we work at
improving our skills. By that I mean, “What exercises
should we do? How long? Ok … what’s the next thing?”
Barbra Schulte is a Professional Cutting Horse Trainer, Personal Performance Coach, Author, Clinician, and Equine Consultant.
Barbra has been involved with horses her entire life. Beginning in early childhood and continuing through college, she helped market and show many of her family’s 500 head of horses. She competed in western pleasure, reining, horsemanship, and cutting.
In 2000, Barbra was awarded the prestigious National Female Equestrian of the Year Award given by the American Quarter Horse Association in conjunction with the Women’s Sports Foundation. This honor recognized outstanding performance and leadership in a female equestrian. Candidates for the award spanned across all disciplines recognized by the American Quarter Horse Association.
In 2012 Barbra was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame, one of the most prestigious honors possible for women equestrians. She was honored for all of her outstanding career accomplishments.
Today, Barbra continues to train and show cutting horses. At the same time, she is expanding her education business by continually providing new online and live informational training for riders of all disciplines (regarding mental and emotional skills) and cutting horse
enthusiasts. www.barbraschulte.com