From Where My Strength Lies - The Life of a Horse Whisperer (Paperback)

I learned quite early in my career that being successful in the magnificent sphere of International Showjumping is a passport to the world. Should one succeed in this difficult and technical sport, they shall inevitably meet VIPs, royalty, dignitaries, celebrities, movie stars and the enormously wealthy. National and International doors open when one shines in this world. Being successful in the sphere of showjumping enabled me to travel to places which I never would have had the opportunity to see otherwise. With endless thanks to the horses, I have traveled across this country from coast to coast. I have also traveled across Europe, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Poland, Russia, New Zealand, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Bermuda.To succeed in the showjumping world, one needs to be partnered with a special horse - or perhaps several horses in a string of talent. The partnership between horse and rider needs to be a unique bond with every horse that one rides. Each horse is an individual. A rider and true horse person must be able to feel and study the horse's personality, thus adapting their style and training techniques to each individual horse. I find the process of becoming a friend and partner to each horse absolutely fascinating. I think the great William Steinkraus, our United States Equestrian Team Captain and Olympic champion for many years, said it beautifully when he said the following: "Taking things for granted is all too easy. But we must never forget, every time we sit on a horse, what an extraordinary privilege it is to be able to unite one's body with that of another sentient being - one that is stronger, faster, and more agile by far than we are, and at the same time, brave, generous, and uncommonly forgiving." - Epilogue of "Reflections on Riding and Jumping", by William Steinkraus.My story is about the understanding of horses and life. This includes all of the national and international ventures along the way. When a rider is able to get on a vast variety of different horses and understand them, relate to them with empathy, compassion and sympathy, and guide the horse to perform willingly to the best of their ability, one becomes a Horse Whisperer. It is not the horse's responsibility to understand us. It's our responsibility to understand the horse.This book is a compilation of my life stories in the vast international world of showjumping. It involves understanding many different horses - several of which began as extremely difficult horses or rejects from other horsemen in the racing sphere or the world of show horses. Over and over, what may have been an extremely difficult or misunderstood horse became my friend and my competition partner on the highest level. Many of these horses became nationally and internationally famous. A few of them became Hall of Fame horses. My hope is that this book shall inspire many other horsemen and horsewomen to view each horse as an individual. Put aside other people's comments or opinions on a horse which may be misunderstood. Find a bond with that horse. With understanding, compassion, empathy and correct training techniques, the greatly misunderstood and unwanted horse could become a Champion.Every horse can have a career doing something, as there are so many different disciplines and jobs within the horse industry. Not every horse will make a top showjumper. They must have the innate talent, scope, quality, courage, personality and heart for showjumping. There are horses who have these wonderful traits, but have been rejected because they were misunderstood or because they presented as difficult. This is a book of stories about some of those misunderstood and rejected horses, and how they accomplished great things once they were finally understood. This is a book about how I became a Horse Whisperer