A couple of months ago I broke my hand. Once the plaster was off, I had the little finger and the next strapped together and rode with the rein held between the 2nd & 3rd fingers. After the hand was healed, holding the reins like this had developed into a habit that I wanted to break.
The question is, can habits be broken simply and easily?
I believe that they can, as long as there is a good enough reason.
Imagine this. You have a bad habit of not washing your horse’s bit after you have ridden. This has been a habit that you have tried to change but haven’t succeeded.
Then your normal happy healthy horse is diagnosed with a very rare disease and the only way to cure him is to wash his bit thoroughly after each ride and then soak the bit in a magic solution ready for the next ride. Without doing this you horse will become very sick and die within hours of your next ride.
How long would it take you to change your habit of not washing your
horse’s bit? . . . I imagine that you would say ‘immediately!’
because there is a good enough reason!
Do you have a habit that you would like to break? Don’t focus on breaking it, focus on – the reason you want to break it and
– the results you will have when the habit has been cured
Then I am sure your success rate will be far higher!
Happy Riding,
Glenys
