We all like affirmation.
It’s that virtual pat on the back.
It’s that positive feeling you get when you find an outside source to confirm your beliefs. It’s especially rewarding when it comes amidst the pressure of opposing views.
In horse terms, it’s a lip-licking moment.
One thing you’ll find here at BestHorsePractices is the premise that horses do best in a natural setting. That means they have herd mates and freedom to move, for starters. We run into problems when we embrace domestication too tightly.
This “Nature Knows Best” tenant has been affirmed by equine research, lots of personal observations, and recent work with the manuscript of “Evidence-Based Horsemanship,” the book by Dr. Steve Peters and Martin Black.
The other day, though, I found affirmation in the oddest place, halfway through James Galvin’s book, “The Meadow.”
It was with clear albeit inebriated conviction that Ray uttered:
“…if you imagine the natural world without the human race, you are thinking of something perfect, perfectly balanced, that just keeps going. Only thing as messes it up is the people. Especially when they try to manage things. The more of ‘em there are the worster it gets…”
Thanks, Mr. Galvin, for that lip-licking moment.