Become a horseman

Question
hello sir, what does "Become a horseman....not just a rider" mean??

Answer
Caine,
"Become a horseman....not just a rider"
I will try to explain this the best way I can. This is my opinion on the matter.
Too many people in this world have no understanding of the horse. It is a very emotional animal. They treat it as just a mode of transportation or like it was a piece of machinery. It is not. It is a living, breathing animal that was put on this earth for us to enjoy and use. Not to be taken for granted and uncared for. It is our responsibility to care for the horse and treat it with respect. It is a majestic and beautiful animal.
Some people are just "riders". What I mean by that is, they just get on the horse, give it a kick and go some place without understanding the horse. They are just passengers on the back of the horse not understanding how to convey their intentions to the horse. So the horse becomes confused or scared and then bad things happen such as the horse will buck the rider off. So, a "rider" is just a passenger on a 1000lb animal.
To be a "horseman", is to understand how a horse thinks. To become one unit with the horse and work together. That is what I teach to my students. I first teach them how the horse thinks. What makes it feel good and safe and what causes it to be frightened and why it becomes frighted. You and the horse become one. Every little move you make on the back of the horse is mirrored by the horse. If you learn these things, it gives you and the horse confidence. Think of it this way. Let's say you have a fear of planes and flying. You have no confidence in the plane. But if you learned how a plane worked, what made it fly and knew you could control it under any condition, you would have greater confidence and your fear would go away. Does that make sense? Fear is bred by the lack of knowledge.
So if you understand how the horse works and how to control it under any condition you would have no fear of the horse. You would still respect it and the power it has, but you know you can control it.
That is what a "horseman" is. A person who understands horses, has confidence in his horse and knows how to control it without mistreating it and moves/works with the horse as one unit. He is not just a rider/passenger on the horse.
I hope I have explained this to you in a manner in which you understand.
So, "Become a horseman....not just a rider". Remember, the only thing riding on the back of your horse..........is your life.