Gillian Warner is bringing us along for the ride as she strikes out on her own to launch her business as a professional. You can catch up on more installments from this series here.
One of my favorite components of working with horses is the natural curiosity they bring to the table. Throughout the training process, I love to encourage that curiosity to ask new questions, address new challenges, and experience adventures that emerge, as allowing the horse to explore and think will only help them understand and learn.
Despite this feeling like such a critical quality in a horse, I feel like it was something I hadn’t allowed myself to develop personally in the same ways I encouraged for the horses. As my business continued to grow and develop, my schedule felt too tight for anything other than to get through the day – it certainly didn’t leave much time to explore, or even think much beyond the routine. Pretty quickly, I felt how limiting that was, and how much it was stunting my growth with the horses.
Thanks to my young thoroughbred, CC, who needed me to take that extra time with her, I started allowing myself to explore from her perspective – we looked at new jumps, poked around a new obstacle, or pawed at the tarp on the ground. Not only was it fun for both of us, but I also saw the confidence and growth that happened so quickly after taking just an extra moment to create the space to explore.
Carrying that lesson into my greater plan for the business has required constant commitment to that curiosity – it’s easy to fall back into the comfortable routine that keeps things “on track” and running. But it doesn’t allow for growth. I’ve been very intentional to create opportunities to develop my curiosity as a trainer, business owner, and horsewoman. For me, creating opportunities means working the schedule to allow for a day trip for a clinic with clients. It means applying to certificate programs to develop my understanding of animal behavior. It means connecting with Pony Clubs around the country to expand my network, and it means traveling while doing what I love.
Each time I’ve set out to create an opportunity like these, they’ve fueled me to become increasingly creative and curious. Clinics have expanded my mind and shown me new ideas and approaches that have helped the clients and horses with which I work. Traveling and learning from horsemen and horsewomen around the world have shown me diversity in practices, which I have been able to combine and explore. Reading a new book, or sharing a conversation with a new connection opens my mind to how experiences shape each of us, and helps me understand and appreciate my own journey as well.
It’s not always easy to break out of the daily routine to allow myself to explore this curiosity and these opportunities. It forces me to push beyond the perfectly scheduled day, or the weekly plan I had outlined, which has felt a little uncomfortable. It has created uncertainty as to what every day will look like, which has been something I’ve always appreciated – and quite honestly needed – before. But despite all this, that uncertainty fueled more creativity and curiosity as to how I could fill that space.
In thinking how I can commit to creating curiosity and opportunities as I continue in the development of my business reminded me of the intention I set early on in the establishment of Warner Equine. As I expressed in a previous article, my goal was to start the process, but understand that it was ok (and even good) to remain incomplete.
Committing to the continuation of the creation of opportunities will ensure that I remain incomplete, always open to evolving and growing. I’ll lean into my natural curiosity, as I encourage my horses to do, in order to develop throughout of lifetime of work, learning, and exploration. While it’ll often feel uncomfortable, the growth, fuel, and curiosity for more will keep me going.
