Lee Troup
Johnson
My Teaching and Training Philosophy
During
the past 35 years, I have seen kids come and go, but the thrill of
creating a winning team has never left me. I still get a tremendous
kick and alot of self-fulfillment watching a child bloom through their
commitment to the horse.
For children, the values that come out of one's experiences with horses are not to be equaled. A horse is like a child's best friend. The horse has feelings, needs, wants and a strong desire to learn. If a child gets a good start with the animal, they can learn and cherish all the real values that form us as adults.
When
a child learns the art of communication with the animal and the art of
give and take, along with respect, responsibility, love, patience,
commitment, and caring for one's best friend, then they have learned the
best lessons in life.
A horse is a complex animal with great rewards for both rider and trainer. I have watched my students grow up to be very successful adults with wonderful moral and family values. That has made my life complete.
During the years that I have attended horse shows and events, I have seen so many children that are just there for the win or a ribbon or their day of glory. These children (and some adults) have missed the rewards of riding. When I see these riders fail to consider their horse as their partner, I know that they are in for a rocky future. Not just around horses but in all aspects of their lives. I don't let my students go to competitions until there is a certain work ethic between both the horse and the rider. I feel strongly that the students will not go to the competition until the combination is working well together. I am known to be very conservative. For me, winning is not everything. What is important is that the student and horse handle the challenge that is set before them. Winning is the reward that will come if the each partner in the pair does their part.
Lee Troup Johnson
Return
to About Runnymede main page