
Frankly Speaking: So, You Call Yourself a Horseman
Blane Schvanveldt is a legend in the Quarter Horse industry. The late trainer was a horseman who believed a horse could only reach its true potential if you tried to “kill him with kindness.”“Horseman.” This term, in my opinion, describes a person who understands and respects horses. He or she is completely comfortable handling, riding, teaching, interpreting, using and caring for the needs of a horse. This person navigates him or herself around the equine species with an aura of confidence and respect for the animal. A true horseman never has to characterize him or herself as such; that quality is immediately evident and recognizable to anyone who knows what it takes to be one. A horseman commands respect from his or her peers by action, accomplishment and knowledge, which places this person in a unique strata – apart from the general crowd in the horse world. Simply put, he or she stands out and apart from the rest.
Problem is, there are too few horsemen in the equine industry today. Many call themselves horsemen, but few actually grasp and express the concept, and even fewer possess the work ethic required to reach that plateau.