The Plight of an Equinologist

The Plight of an Equinologist

An equinologist is a person who studies horses.

-- W0rd Sense Dictionary

The wind streams my long hair behind me in the wind made by the horse galloping beneath me, no leather to restrict us. We are free.

That’s the dream. It’s always been the dream, no matter how the trail twists and turns, I always return to the same dream. Now it’s time to figure out how to get there. How does it become the reality?

So here’s what I did and why:

I signed up - I committed myself to an Online Course

I registered for the online HCA (The Horse-Human Connection Academy taught by the woman you may know as Mustang Maddy.) This is not meant to be a plug for HCA, although I am enjoying the opportunity to develop a style I originally didn’t know I was embarking upon. When I came across this particular course, it seemed to be the perfect match for furthering my goals. I thought deeply about it and I considered what I felt it would help me accomplish in the end. It seemed like the right way to go, so I’m in.

To take action

Pursuing goals is about taking the next step forward. It’s about drive and impulsion. I needed to do something to continue striving for the goals I have set. Signing up for this particular course felt like just the right thing at the right time to keep me focused and on track. Taking part makes me feel excited and optimistic. It helps me keep my focus toward getting where I want to go. I can look at something daily to research, study or ponder to consistently further my progress, even when I can’t get outside to reinforce my work hands-on.

Why was this course my choice?

R+ is the way that speaks to my heart. I know, because every time I witness an example of using R+ effectively as a training technique to get the desired responses and connection between horse and human, my eyes fill with emotion. The philosophies make sense. My goals for the future by accomplishing this way, is to find that connection with my horses, further my own journey toward becoming a better human, and share the heart of horses with others. I think R+ can help me do that.

What is R+?

Basically, it’s a style of training/handling horses (and many animals) through the use of providing the animal with choice and positive reinforcement. When used correctly, it creates a partnership and bond like no other training I have learned. It also requires a lot of self-awareness on the part of the handler to get the best results.

Like the beautiful deer in my backyard, I am determined to get where I want to go, but there’s a lot of stuff to plough through along the way.

If you’re interested in following more of this dreamy aspiration, please check out my website for access to free reading material and to access my Youtube channel, where you can subscribe for no cost to receive the earliest notifications of new videos!

KJ Aartila grew up in a small, rural community surrounded by animals and family. She, along with her husband and daughter, horses and other pets, now live on 40 acres in Northern Wisconsin, surrounded by forest and wildlife. She has spent her life reading about, writing about and working with animals, her goal always to be as reliable, trustworthy and honest as a horse, but her innate humaness keeps getting in the way. She remains determined to keep trying, though.