A Word to The Overly Wise
or
" Pedestals are For Falling Off Of "
> Tiffany wrote:
> I was never taught to carve/force/parrot concavity, not even once,
> quite the contrary actually. I was also never taught to force certain
> heel or toe lengths. Surely I was not the only one in the course
> being taught this?
>>> I was taught to carve out concavity, and force the hoof to look like the
wild horse hoof by Jaime himself. Todd Jaynes, and Frank Tobias never
touch the sole and trimmed to what the horse presented. Judy Reiss
rarely used a knife to the sole. Ann Corso said she follows Jaime's trim
exactly, although she only took down the bars on the horses we trimmed
as they had enough concavity. Regards, Nina
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I wish I wasn't hearing this, but thanks so very much for saying it, all the same. Its important for folks to know its more than a rumor.
Highly regarded folks have testified to both sides of this discussion... I don't believe anyone is lying or exaggerating. Many of the folks being certified by AANHCP now weren't taught this "new method". I'm hoping that Jaime amends the process in question as it is so easy to misconstrue or misapply rather than re-enforcing it. Its not too late.
I've had the opportunity to work with several new AANHCP trimmers, and yes, like any new practitioners, they make mistakes, but these folks also learn from their mistakes, are VERY open reading the horse. I worry about people who become fanatics, and am no help because I can't tolerate their company.
Anyone who attains a personally significant level of popularity needs to understand that the pressure to take ones self too seriously because of "popularity" can bring them down faster than any opponent.
This tendency - the "Peter Principle" - is a universal one. Someone will come up with a new idea or new approach, champion it through a rough start, it takes off, people start listening actively, ask advice, stop questioning the advocates work...
Pedestals are for falling off of.
Many average people have made significant contributions, exhibited the cunning, courage and persistence to "make a name for themselves", only to end up taking an indefensible position and falling back to earth with a loud thump to discover that they are, alas, only human. If people ever tell YOU you're great? Laugh, appreciate their appreciation, let it warm you in a gratifying way, but don't let it go to your head and cloud your thinking.
Pride is a narcotic.
Remember that some of the greatest fools and failures of all time started out as heroes. Custer, Nixon.... I could go on and on. Many of us have experienced this in small ways, have figuratively gotten too big for our britches and ended up mooning an audience unexpectedly. It hurts. Just because a guru is "ours" doesn't make them exempt.
If you are a professional? Take your clients seriously, take your work *VERY* seriously, use good tools wherever you find them, and most importantly, laugh at yourself. Listen to your clients praise but ask sincerely for their criticism and concerns then listen actively with the utmost interest. Be your own harshest critic, second only to the horses who prance off soundly after you've done your best for them. Acknowledge mistakes and ignorance.
If you are a client? Don't hesitate to share unpleasant information, and understand that your trimmers are, for better or worse, human.
I definitely understand how situations like this can come about. I laugh that "curing navicular and club feet" is all in a days work for me, and can now state that I have rehabilitated a horse whose grave was already prepared with little more than a good trim and a set of pads and boots. I love being able to help horses, but I also - *definitely* - know that I'm no "Barefoot Goddess", not a miracle worker.... I'm a dedicated trimmer and a horse lover who is a slave to my emotions... I love being the horses hero. The highest praise I can get is a relaxed eye, an affectionate nuzzle and a sigh of relief.
Do it for the horses.
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