I am often reminded of how many similarities I have found between the world of flight instruction and the world of horses. I have found that some of the tools that I learned while teaching students to fly small airplanes are pretty useful in training horses as well as riders. One of the most valuable things that I learned is the concept of being “pilot in command”. The pilot in command of the flight has the final word. While he gets a lot of input from his flight crew and even passengers, the final control of the flight is in the pilot’s hands.

One of the things that I try to instill in a rider is to take charge. This does not mean “showing the horse who is boss” but it does mean accepting responsibility for the situation at hand. I had the opportunity to participate in a wonderful clinic that was designed for introducing horses to trail obstacles and things that might be scary. There were participants of all levels represented from very green and emotional horses to some seasoned trail competitors. The riders who were the most successful were the ones who assumed the role of “pilot in command”. They were quiet and focused and these riders rode for their horse, not for the instructor, the audience, or their egos. The riders that had the most problems spent way too much energy on making excuses for why their horses were having trouble or wailing “He can do this at home!” rather than focusing on the situation that was taking place at that moment.

The clinician also impressed me. He stated at the very beginning was that he wanted everyone to challenge themselves, but also to stay safe. He told the riders if he asked anyone to do an exercise that they were uncomfortable with, that they needed to step aside and either ask for more help, or watch from a safe place. Yes, we all know that horseback riding is an “inherently dangerous” sport. Every barn, including mine is placarded with warnings. I just signed a 5 page release form in order to participate in a clinic. Not only did I have to sign it, so did my husband for his “spousal interest”. I realize that peer pressure has a huge effect on decision making, and this applies to pilots and riders alike. The “Oh, come on….you can do it,” attitude can be great up to a point, but is sometimes the stimulus that precipitates an airplane in the trees or a rider leaving the arena via ambulance. At times, you have to park your ego and just say “No”.

It has always been my belief that training riders in the science of horse handling was far more beneficial than teaching perfect equitation. As horsemen, we seek to understand and perfect that connection that defines that magical partnership between horse and rider. My instructor answered many of my questions by telling me to “Study the horse’s every movement and you will see the answer!”   Unfortunately, the learning curve can be steep. There is an expression that says, “How do you learn good judgment?”  The answer: ”By having bad judgment!” My brother, a trucker who hauls hazardous materials has a placard on his wall. It says “Think!  Learn by the mistakes of others … You don’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”  Take advantage of every opportunity you have to watch, learn to see what is coming.

I attended a Ray Hunt clinic several years ago, and I was simply amazed at Ray’s ability to look at a group of 30 green horses and predict with great accuracy what each horse would do. One of the participants was a competent young woman with a well groomed, clipped and shod pinto mare who was there for a colt starting class. With no explanation whatsoever, Ray took the filly away from its owner and handed over to one of his riders. This filly stood like a statue to be mounted, but when he asked for the first step, the filly came apart like a cheap suit. I’ve started a lot of colts and seen a lot of rides but I’d still love to know exactly what Ray saw, what cues were there that tipped him off that this well-presented filly was going to have some big difficulties. In his years of experience, there was some subtle language and signs that he saw in that filly that I certainly missed at the time, but I am learning to be more perceptive.

One of the criteria for a successful flight check ride with the Federal Aviation Administration examiner is that “the successful outcome of the flight was never seriously in question”. One of the most recited mantras of flight instructors is “fly the airplane”.  This means that the pilot must prioritize the tasks at hand, and while they are struggling with radios, weather, turbulence and flight charts, they need to attend to the number one priority, which is to maintain control of the aircraft.  I had a flight student once who used to get skittish when we were on short final – about 100 feet above the numbers on the landing runway. He would first begin to over control the airplane, pulling and pushing on the control yoke, and see-sawing the rudder pedals. Finally when things started to get pretty precarious, he would let go of the yoke and yell “You’ve got the airplane!!!” I got pretty good at getting the airplane back into a reasonable landing configuration and explained to him the things that he could have done, or should have done, but I had this nagging sense that this pilot would bail when things got tough. Finally, when I knew he had the skill to unravel his mess, I decided not to grab for the controls when he let go and I raised my hands in the air and said to him, “No, YOU have the airplane!” He put it together, straightened the airplane out and landed successfully. Shortly after that, I was comfortable to sign him off for a solo flight.

Haven’t we all seen riders where the “successful outcome of the rider was seriously in question”?  I’ve seen riders who bail when things get a bit dicey. Rolling up in fetal position, letting go of the reins and shrieking “WHOA” at the top of your lungs is not an option. You need to “ride the horse” no matter what is happening. Access every bit of inner strength that you have to direct your horse’s feet, and you will be amazed at how often the situation will calm itself down. You may need to practice emergencies in a safe place. Learn how to do a one rein stop, a pulley rein and a flying dismount. Maybe most important, train yourself to think your way through a bad situation. The worst feeling is when you come up blank and have no plan for regaining control. Playing the “what if” game can give you some solid tools to use when things start unraveling.

My take home message for riders is that you need to commit yourself to be the pilot- in- command. You are responsible for yourself and your horse’s safety. That means everything from the inspection of your horse and equipment to planning and executing a safe ride. That includes declining to participate in something that you think is above your skill or comfort level, to getting off and leading if the situation warrants, and the obligation to learn and observe every opportunity that you have. Most of the time, if you listen to your inner voice, it will guide you well.  And, if you find yourself in that situation where you realize that you are on the learning curve to gain some good judgment … don’t forget to keep flying the airplane …

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