Not a hobby horse

I recently interviewed for a job at a prestigious university. Something the interviewer said occupied my mind as I drove the two hours to get home.

The subject of horses had come up. I don't remember how. I mentioned that I rode dressage. The interviewer had never heard of it. I explained that it was a horse sport. I described it. The interviewer was confused because there was no jumping. I realized then that we were way off topic and tried to move the conversation in the direction of my unique qualifications for the position. But before leaving the subject, the interviewer commented that it was "good I had a hobby."

The comment struck me as absurd. I almost laughed when she said it. But I kept tight control of myself. I didn't want to it look as though I was really searching for a job that would pay enough; and at the same time not tax my mind much, so that I could devote most of my after work hours to training. I didn't want the interviewer to see that as far as I was concerned working had become a hobby.

After I got to the barn, I took a look at Ted and knew what I should have said to the interviewer if I'd been honest:

"I don't have a hobby horse. I have a life-long passion. I ride with my heart, my body and my soul. It is the most inexplicably wonderful thing I do. I cannot not live without it."

I could never say this about ANY job I have ever had.

But what is it about horseback riding I like so much?

I looked for some sources on the Internet that might clarify my thinking.

Author Keri Brandt writes in her article:  A Language of Their Own: An Interactionist Approach to Human-Horse Communication" about the uniqueness of the relationships between horse and rider. "...the human-horse interaction differs greatly from the human-dog and the human-cat interaction....The most obvious difference is the large size of horses.....this brings in the element of danger into the interaction that is rarely present with dogs and cats" making clear communication between human and equine a priority.

"Another important distinction" she writes, "is the high level of body-to-body contact between humans and horses when engaged in interaction...The language of the horse operates through the body such that horses use their bodies to communicate their subjective presence. Because humans cannot convey intentions to horses through spoken language, they too must use their bodies to generate a communication style to which the horse can respond. In the human-horse relationship, the body is the basis from which a system of communication can grow."

In another article, New Age or Old Sage? A review of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, authors Frewin and Gardiner attempt to define what is so appealing about the human-horse bond. They write: "People who have some familiarity with horses...will sometimes talk of the beneficial effects of positive interactions, of the power of horses to influence people, of the simple pleasures of being around horses, and of the bonding that can occur between horse and human."

The authors write: "Horses are not judgmental, they don't have expectations or prejudices. they don't care what you look like; are not influenced by your station in life.....The horse responds to the immediacy of your intent and your behavior, and does so without assumption or criticism. Engagement on such a level can be extraordinarily powerful for many people."

Still, none of these articles defined the inexplicable part of riding horses for me.
 
None addressed the hours of riding it takes to perfect the canter depart. Science hasn't examined the exacting work it takes to get the correct bend on the shallow serpentine. Not one scholarly article has looked at the experience of being in the flow during a particularly harmonious practice session. Or that moment when you find yourself taking a dressage test in public before a judge when all the elements come together. When you and your horse are one; thinking the same thing; performing the same tasks together without flaw. When your minds and bodies meet in complete accord.

Photo: Farrier R.T. Goodrich shoeing Teddy.

Comments

[Kelly]

LOL! I know all to well how you feel. Imagine the types of comments you get when horses are your REAL job. Some of my favorite as of late...

I say : I'm a horse trainer/ riding instructor or I say I have a horse business whichever...

then they say things like-

"Really? I rode a horse on a trail ride ONCE."

Me- Oh great! so then you know all about what I do then:)

or how about this one...

Them- "Oh, so you train horses? What do you do like olympic show jumping or?

Me- huh? no matter what I say it will be unimpressive because he apparently thinks all professionals in the horse industry are competing at "Olympic" levels...

You will never be able to explain it... Trust me

OR

" Oh so do train them to jump like in the Olympics

Great blog BTW:)
Kelly

[smellshorsey]

Some things you just can't explain, though you it explained it well here. Yes, it's not a hobby.

But if the interviewer didn't know what dressage was, it was just as well you left it at hobby.

If you wanted the job, I hope you got it!