I had the pleasure of being “introduced” to Katie Davis through listening to the Dave Ramsey show on the radio. Katie, a 23-year-old American, has been living and serving in Uganda since she was 18 years old. She first went to Uganda as a senior in high school for a week-long mission trip and in 2008 started a ministry there called Amazima (www.amazima.org). Today Amazima feeds, clothes, and educates thousands of Uganda orphans on a daily basis. In addition, Katie has become a foster mother to 13 young orphan girls. Katie is an amazing young woman, full of the Holy Spirit and dedicated to showing love to all those around her. Her passion, work ethic and persistence are a powerful example to all of us. But I believe the most important lesson to learn from Katie is the power of high expectations. Katie learned that lesson for herself at a young age when she sacrificed her comfortable life in the U.S. to make a home for orphaned children and the many hungry, sick and homeless that come to her door in Uganda. Katie saw a need and set an expectation for herself that she would meet that need. She was willing to work hard, sacrifice, and do things that she wasn’t really sure she could do to meet that need. By setting an extremely high expectation for herself, Katie lives a blessed life full of the joy of caring for others and having her and her family’s needs met through their faith in God. Having high expectations has sent Katie to a level that she never even realized existed before her experience in Uganda.;)
Like Katie, we can experience new levels of satisfaction and accomplishment with our horses by having higher expectations of our mount. Horses are capable of much higher levels of response and connection than most people believe. Many times I see people pushing, poking and prodding their horses just to get them to move over. The reality is that your horse will move over just by the “pressure” of you looking at their hip – not touching the hip – just by looking. Likewise, I often see people tugging and pulling at their horse’s halter to get them to move forward. Your horse is capable of willingly moving forward with no pressure on the halter at all. For that matter, they don’t even have to have a halter on to come with you! The secret is to have high expectations. Know that you can train your horse and that your horse can respond at that level. Sure it takes hard work, some sacrifice and sometimes you have to do things you’re not really sure you can, but the results are worth the effort. And if you get in a spot where you’re not sure you can do it, remember Katie and what she has accomplished through setting high expectations.
If having your horse willingly lead without a halter and respond to the pressure of a look sounds interesting to you, we invite you to attend our Ground Training Clinic.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11