Jen Johnson - My Story
I first sat on what I thought was a horse before I was a year old. Grandma Irene would cross her legs, sit me on her foot and while bouncing me sing a song about "riding a shiny little pony."
My first four legged friend was Rusty when I was three. In one of the pictures my mom has I'm mounted up there with my uncle Ray, crying my head off. I asked her if I was afraid. She said, "Oh no! You wanted him off so you could be up there by yourself!"
Eryal was my second horse, and I had to wait till I was 14 to get her. She was a chestnut egyptian arabian mare with a blaze. My everyday after school best friend. I took her anywhere and everywhere that I didn't think I'd get into trouble. And some places I knew I would and went anyway. I owe her my childhood horse memories. I did ride her bareback with only a halter alot. I lay on her with nothing at times backwards in the pasture with my arms crossed over her hind end. I just hung out with her every chance I got. We had are arguements, looking back I see now I was the one who was wrong in all of them.
Over the years from there I had trained and shown in many different riding diciplines such as Hunter Jumper, Saddle Seat, Dressage, Western Pleasure, and Gymkana. I had leased horses, exercised them for others and trained part time on the side. I still wanted the friendship, the understanding, the innocence, all the things that came to me without even knowing it that I felt as a kid with horses. I loved horses, life got in the way. That "riding off into the sunset, bareback and bridleless with my best friend" feeling were to be put on the back burner. Total trust, carefree and fun were traded for the drive for blue ribbons and approval from my peers. Somewhere along the line what was important between my and my horse got lost and was crushed by what I bought into. I believed what I was told by people who I thought knew better than me. I didn't know what I didn't know. Nobody does.
2001 that all changed the first 2 minutes I set my eyes on Pat Parelli racing around the arena at a full gallop only to pull his bridle off and keep going. Stopping, sliding, turning, spinning, jumping, you name it he was doing it. I have been a student of the horse and true natural horsemanship ever since. I did spend time delving into the "natural horsemanship" world of trainers to find out not all of it is natural. Many trainers say that they are natural because they think that's what people want to hear without having any idea about horse psychology.
For my personal program I decided to follow the Parelli system. I feel the program puts the relationship with the horse first using the psychology of the horse to do so. In having a good repore with a horse he will give you his all. I want a horse who wants to be with me. Not one who feels he has to. It doesn't matter if its bareback through the pasture or high level dressage moves, if you have a horses heart, he'll put everything he has into giving you what you want. Becareful if your considering this program. Once you know what you know, you can't unknow what it is you have learned. This is a life changing program. It will change the way you see relationships between horses and humans forever.
