I was reading a book recently that recommended infants wear a hat almost constantly in their first year, because “most of your body heat is lost through the head.” I was finding myself getting cross with this advice, because for…
Every now and again I get a sort of epiphany moment, where I realise an assumption I’ve held has made no sense whatsoever. Sometimes, there’s been a nagging doubt that something doesn’t make sense (like we lose most of our…
It would have to be said that I am better with horses than I am with computers, and by and large this doesn’t bother me. But technology is moving along and although my iphone still won’t do the mucking out…
The thing with Willow happened quite some years ago, but it’s an anecdote I visit often, as I think it illustrates a good point about being firm on boundaries and how it can really help you out. I have another…
I think if you ride, handle or train horses you have a duty to yourself and others to do everything as safely as possible. I might be a bit cavalier about use-by dates on food, and we’ve extended the 2 second…
May I speak frankly? May I say something that perhaps shouldn’t be said in front of the husband, or parents? May I be completely honest? Ok, here goes. There are safer things you can do with your time then riding…
This was our trailer, which got a tad muddy bringing hay out to the horses in the field… Getting this through a muddy gateway with about 16 peckish horses meant there was no need for coffee in the morning: the…
On a recent workshop, one of the participants gave me some interesting feedback. She said (something like) “You’re very good at letting people learn within their own frameworks. You don’t over-correct and I like that because I find being over-corrected…
There was a time when, I have to admit, I saw the work we did training horses, especially “problem horses” as more….not glamourous, perhaps, but more worthwhile and skilled than, say, running a livery yard. We were sensible enough…
So, we do “self-directed” or “autonomous” learning. Our children learn what interests them, when it interests them. My son has a learning style that involves complete immersion in a subject and then leaving it completely alone for a while. Some interests…