Heroes, Mentors, and Other Resources
From the time we are small children, toddlers, heroes appear before our eyes. Mommie and Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa, for my older generation Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. Now there are the superheroes and characters jumping out of our computers and imaginations. Heroes are important; they help us determine who we want to be and how we want to comport ourselves. They are the start of our life-long journey to become who we can and want to be. It is time to explore, to experiment, and to refine.
This may also be when a child sees a pretty horse with a famous rider collecting all the ribbons and trophies. They love the image, the aura, the adoration. In this young mind, one can almost hear “I want to be that person.” It may be the beginning, but definitely not the end of finding yourself through all the hero worship. This progression has been called “watch and listen” in the horseman’s world.
As I mention in One Man’s Collection of Spade Bits, available in May, and One Man’s Opinion about Spade Bits, available in October, Dick Deller and Richie Morgan did a lot of “watch and listen” not just in their younger years, but all through life. That is the way the old masters learned and taught. Watch and listen, not much talking. The men who were working smart, who were riding good horses were the horsemen getting the studied look. They held a major role in the practice of a storied heritage: the spade bit and the bridlehorse.
These horsemen had their heroes, but they also had mentors. Not always identified with those titles, but it was inherent in the ranching world. A hero is someone admired, looked up to, and a model of what might be. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were heroes: they rode beautiful horses, they were kind, and they had a respectful relationship. My heroes. A mentor is someone more personally involved, like my father, Richie Morgan, for me and for others. He or she is someone who recognizes individuals, who respects skills and abilities of each other, and can lend a guiding hand to get us to our goals and comfort spots. There is room for both. Our heroes are the target; our mentors put the arrows in the bow and help us pull the string. Hopefully, we hit the target when we use our intellect to wisely choose our mentors.
A horseman’s first step is to know himself, his abilities, and who he wants to be. He develops a conscience and goals that fit into that lifestyle. He determines his target; he does not sell himself short by total emulation of someone else. Sit back, watch, and listen, look for what this potential mentor does well, and then decide if that helps meet the goals. Is he a hero or a mentor? Can he be approachable and available? Does he think out loud? The horse can be a mentor too. They speak to you all the time. All these old masters recognize that much of what they learn is through the horse. And they remember the good ones.
Today, the opportunities abound for morsels of information about horsemanship for an eager learner to pick up. They are on the ranch, in the arena, in books, and on the internet; they really are everywhere. The student needs to be selective about which information proffered is appropriate for his individual situation. True, everyone has something of value to teach; it is the student’s responsibility to weigh it, determine if it is relevant to the student’s goals and values. Remember that what works in Texas may not in Nevada, or what happens with a trainer may not be on the ranch. What you want in a trail horse is not what a reiner might do. Every tip or technique might work for someone, but not for everyone. Investigate, discern, be smart and true to yourself as you wade through all the well-meaning advice.
More than anything else, keep watching, listening, and learning. Study the horse, examine the bits. Hold the iron, feel the balance, roll the crickets, listen to the music of the horse. Read the books, think about the ideas, decide if it is part of your target. And remember, you are someone’s mentor, or even a hero, too. We are never too old to learn something new, and never too good to not share.
