Leadership And Riding
As some of you might already know: I am a rider and kind of a horseman, at least I try. My family owns four Icelandic horses and not only my sweet and I but also our four kids love riding. Since I’m riding on a regular basis, my management and especially my leadership skills improved big time. You can trust me: this is not just a coincident. It’s a result of working with horses, of building a close relationship to my own horse, and of learning how to deal with this very proud animal and friend that often nevertheless lacks self-esteem.
Humbleness
First thing I learned 25 years ago when I came near a horse for the first time and was riding with some others, was humbleness. Sounds weird, I know. But humbleness is nothing I knew from home or school. And even these sweet, little, calm horses from Iceland make you humble when you approach them. With a little humbleness I was able to kind of use them as vehicle. In a way that they (or someone else) decided where to go and what gait to use.
Was ok back then. Was a start. But to be honest,- was nothing really thrilling or satisfying. I was not leading the team of this horse and myself. I was not riding. I needed to assume control.
Leadership
With a horse this is not trivial at all. You know, a horse is really strong. Much stronger than you would think and especially much, much stronger than you are. One of the most fascinating things working with horses is that they are on one hand much bigger, stronger, more powerful and heavier than you.
And on the other hand they really want you to lead them, they need to lean on you. Most horses have a great will to please, at least if they are mentally healthy (what is not always the case with horses in boxes and stables).
Having these two sides of the horse in mind you will learn to lead with a mixture of humbleness and strength. Like it is always when it comes to good leadership. Not rigid or harsh, but confident and forward-looking.
At some point it was even a little bit surprising for me that leadership skills I needed to work successfully with my horse are nearly the same I need to work with my team and my direct reports. This right mixture of humbleness and confidentiality, of listening and ruling, of feeling the others and giving the direction. Or as someone put it exactly right:
You do not ride with your head but with your ass.
Making yourself understood
The very tough part both with leading a team and riding (leading) a horse is making yourself understood. Most of us experienced it of course: that your ideas simply don’t register with your team (or your horse).
For this reason a big part of all riding lessons is to train the helps you are giving. The way you use your legs and snaffle and reins. Using them inconsistently will bewilder the horse. And once bewildered it’s a really hard job to bring your horse back on track, to reassure it that it’s worth trusting you.
Trust
This is so important because you need your horse to trust you. Like you need your team to trust you. Despite the horse being a strong, big and in some way proud animal, it’s extremely anxious by nature. Whenever something is not as it used to be, horses would run as fast as possible. Away from the new and unknown. Only if it trusts you, it will go through the river, it will go backwards. But if you not only made yourself understood but also trusted, your horse will do anything for you if you want.
I always admire the way my son, 17, is working with his horse and having fun. Since he was a little child he has been making fun with his beloved Gjostá. She really trusts him and will always do what he wants her to do. Will stop and slow down, will overcome her angst.
On the other hand I have to trust my horse. Although it’s in a way not really smart to trust an animal, you definitely need to do it anyway. And if you do it will give you back so much. For most people it’s really difficult to emotionally reach my own horse, Vordís. She is very skeptical about new riders and those who do not know what they are doing up there on her back. She needs to feel you and learn that you trust her and also are able to lead her through this scary world. It took a while for me to get really in touch with her. And it took a while for her to learn what I can and can’t do when riding her.
Confidence And Safety
Most things I learned about leadership working with a horse had direct implications for my work as a manager and leader in a communications firm. Leading is not about pressure but about confidence. There is this wild animal that is stronger than you, that is not always exactly enthusiastic about what you want them to do, and that tends to run away if there is something strange happening. And honestly you don’t really have a chance.
Being harsh or rude will not make them following you. But showing confidence and providing safety will. At least more often than not. Leadership is not about being loud or even brutal. It’s about feeling the muscles of your horse, of your team and giving the exact needed impulses to make them move. To be sure you know what you want them to do. And to make sure they know it as well.
Becoming a Strong Leader
Modern leadership is often seen as soft and gently. But this is a common misconception. Definitly you need to be strong. I for example learned from my horse, especially from Vordís, that I lead better the better I know what I want and the better I’m able to communicate what I want. And to do so in a clear and even blunt way. This will earn me trust, if I’m giving trust.
Combining humbleness and strength made me a better leader. Not only with my horse, but also with my teams.
I’m pretty sure that working with horses will show if you are a potential leader or not. From the way you approach a horse, you sit on a horse, you feel a horse, I think I will be able to see your natural leadership skills. Whoever is able to learn riding a horse will be able to become a great leader...
And vice versa.
