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I have always thought that horseracing, before dealing with horses, deal even more with men devoted to horses.
For this reason, two years ago, when I was in Birmigham for the Parelli Show and an instructor said to me “Before
looking directly after horses we should care about men who look after horses”, I suddenly realized that a Parelli
instructor could have helped me.
I manage a ranching of English thoroughbreds (so to say, horses for gallop race). Actually, it is one of the largest
and most important in Italy. We reached great results in the recent years, winning also two derbies.
The English thoroughbred might be considered as the Formula One for horses. Its psychophysical potentials are driven to the limit, trying to obtain
the maximum both in velocity and in resistance. All horse’s aspects are carefully monitored. This is the most profitable sector and therefore, it is also the one that can
afford to invest for innovation and testing. Nonetheless, it is also a very conservative world.
Horses have been trained in
the same way for over a century. Basically, happens because all the attempts for a change have always created mental problems
to the horses. And it is exactly the mind of the thoroughbred that I have been taken care of for the recent years.
It is already established that to achieve important results in sports, at any level, mind is as important as body. The famous
Latin motto “mens sana in corpore sano” was actually “necesse est mens sana in corpore sano”.
With these premises I have turned to Rolando Heuberger to try and psychologically prepare my foals to the work they are going to face and, at the same time, to
train my staff on this specific issue.
Such an inclusion in a structure like ours needs to be properly arranged. Equilibrium is needed among all those who participate
to the projects. Rolando, the staff involved, the veterinarian and the blacksmith too have needed time to find a way to improve
communication in order to collaborate and come across the optimal modus operandi.
As a marathon runner knows that the first mile is the most difficult, because it is when he still needs to find physical and
mental equilibrium, the engagement of Rolando too, for us, has implied an initial period of adjustment; a crucial period,
actually, to gain equilibrium among all those who work in the ranching. Arguments and head to head discussions occurred because
the novelty introduced had bound everyone to question themselves and reconsider traditional methods of work.
All this has run smoothly and both Rolando and the staff have faced each stage constructively.
The guys have understood that the insertion of the Parelli methodology does not imply a denial of everything done until then, but just introduces a new tool
that can be exploited to keep on improving, and everyone seems pretty enthusiast.
At the same time, day-by-day work has highlighted the goodness of the chosen path. Working on young subjects brings indubitable
advantages because they represent untouched material, even though, at the same time, there is the risk to permanently damage them.
The foals learn very easily and seem much more relaxed than the used to be. It is really fascinating to acknowledge the
persistent conflict existing inside them between their natural curiosity and their likewise natural instinct for escape.
To make them confident means to free all their curiosity and therefore, to obtain the formation of much more quiet and
self-assured subjects.
Whether this is going to result in a better disposition to competitiveness and meanwhile fewer accidents, it is something that
only time can reveal. For sure, we are going to have more collaborative horses.
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