Horsemanship and business share many core principles that make them complementary disciplines. Not complimentary, like free, but complementary, as in the business operated by Dancin Pete Rodda, Complementary Horsemanship. Both disciplines require trust, adaptability and strategic thinking to succeed.
Let’s start with partnership and trust, the kind of trust a horse and rider or horse handler must have. Successful business partnerships rely on this also, with shared goals, clear communication and mutual respect.
Adaptability matters. Just as horses’ conditions and temperaments change, businesses must also adapt to changing customer and client needs and be prepared for possible disruptions.
Strategic planning is involved. Riders must plan ahead to navigate obstacles. Businesses must also strategize to handle operational issues, competition and other market challenges.
Leadership and guidance are key elements to both. A skilled rider guides the horse. Effective leaders need vision with confidence to guide their teams.
Balance and harmony on horseback are both so important. Businesses also need to strike a balance between sustainability and growth.
Feedback and learning matter. Riders learn from a horse’s responses, and business leaders need feedback from clients to improve.
Patience and persistence always play a huge role in both horsemanship and business. Mastering horsemanship is not an overnight thing, it takes a long time. Perseverance, commitment and patience are needed to grow a business also.
Composure under pressure is priceless in both horsemanship and business. A rider must stay calm under pressure, especially when a horse has an unexpected reaction. Business owners often face crises and must remain composed and lead their team through to the other side.
Horse ownership, training and riding horses builds discipline, emotional regulation and focus. These skills can translate into personal growth and better decision-making. These apply in both horsemanship and business.
Networking and the overused word, “community,” both matter a lot.
Equestrian communities grow and develop relationships that can lead to business opportunities, much like professional networks do in the corporate world.
Boundaries are very important in this life. They are also important in business, so staff are not running all over leaders and business owners, and clients are not pushing boundaries beyond the professional. Boundaries with horses are just as vital, and lack of boundaries can lead to injury and a bad experience for horse and rider, in the saddle or on the ground.
To summarize, horsemanship teaches emotional intelligence, leadership and, of course, resilience. These are qualities that are also so important to run a successful business. Both fields thrive on adaptability, courage and trust to make the right decisions.
A great example of this is Pat from Pat Myers Electric. Although always knowledgeable about horses and donkeys, Pat wanted to go deeper and started taking Horsemanship lessons with a friend and local horsemanship expert, Dancin Pete Rodda. Pat reports that he has gained so much from this to improve his relationships with staff and clients and how much it has helped him improve his team.
Horsemanship is full of life lessons and horses take us places we never knew we could go or would go. Life is a lot like that. At the most recent Chamber Equine Initiative meeting, presented by Pyranha Animal Health, Dancin Pete Rodda put all the pieces together for us with Pat Myers, the ‘horseman’s electrician,’ to bring the two worlds together. There are more similarities than differences for sure. We want you to not only see the link between horsemanship and business but also live it day to day. With the basics of horsemanship knowledge, you will see how much better you can be for your team, your family and your clients!
Worth a Visit
Pyranha Animal Health recently sponsored and unveiled “Freedom,” a beautiful piece of art, a Horse Fever statue by Maggie Weakley, at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion. “Freedom” showcases who we are in the Horse Capital, while also depicting the freedom we have living in the USA. It was very appropriate that this statue was dedicated over the week prior to July 4th. It’s worth a visit for a photo!
