Cameo’s cauldron … in which Cameo Miller stirs her thoughts and ideas to see what rises to the top.
argue forcefully that they are ‘right’. But you
profession. But, as noted before, your skills,
can talk to the next person and their ‘right’
abilities, circumstances, and everything else
way is sometimes diametrically opposed to
about you and your life is unique. There is
the first person’s ‘right’ way. And we’ve all
no one else in the world exactly like you. If
heard all the shadings of ‘right’ in between
you pay attention to what you do very well,
the two opposite ones. So those of us who
and what you do less well, you can tailor what
pay attention have learned that there is no
you offer to be exactly what some people
‘right’ way. We again look to those who seem
need, and you will be VERY GOOD at it.
to be doing the best in whatever discipline we
Your reputation will grow, and so will your
have chosen—adopting their methods and
business.
techniques. Where many of us fail, is that we then try to But if you’re really paying attention, you
expand beyond what we are so good at into
will also notice that you have to tweak even
what we are only so-so at. Always continuing
the best advice to fit your own totally unique
to improve what we know is desirable and
situation. Sometimes people feel badly about
important, but we do not need to immediately
this—“I would love to be able to xyz, but…”
incorporate that into what we are currently
Sometimes people give up on something
teaching if this compromises our reputation
that would partially work very well for them
as “expert” at what we do know well.
because they can’t do it all the way. What a
example, you may have learned a great deal
shame! Pay even more attention. There is no
about saddle fit recently, but to then begin
‘right’ way to do anything. There wouldn’t
“teaching” that to your students may not be
be “new math” if there was only one way to
your best bet. It may be better to have the
YOU ARE UNIQUE
do math, there wouldn’t be new procedures
real expert come in so you and your students
if there was only one ‘right’ way to do surgery.
all learn more.
For
There is no “only one right way” to do anything that I can think of. So where does
We are all coming back from a very difficult
that leave us? With discovering the very best
year. As I’ve said in previous articles, this is
way to do things for each of us. Each one of
a really good time to reassess and change
us has different resources and circumstances,
how you operate as you reopen. You really
By Cameo Miller
different strengths and weaknesses, different
shouldn’t balance yourself on a scale using
Illustration by Bethany Caskey
everything. Each one of us is totally unique
anyone else on the other side, or try to follow
as is our situation.
their path. There is already someone ahead of you there. Be so great at what you do that
We all have those in our profession whom we look up to and try to emulate. We learn
We all know that the person who can train at
others consider balancing against you. Learn
as much as we can from them so that we can
the highest level may not have the patience
from others, don’t try to be them. They are
work towards being as good as they are. We go
or desire to work with the rank beginner.
unique too, you can never be better at being
to clinics, watch videos, and read voraciously
While there are those who are equally expert
them than they can. You are unique, you
(no, I’m not kidding—have you seen the
at working with the beginners. We know that
are special, no one else in the world can do
number of how-to books there are on riding).
the person who has an innate feel for what to
exactly what you do in exactly the way you do
We debate with each other over different
shift or change to create what they want from
it. This is a great gift for you to use if you pay
and varied methods—sometimes to try to
the horse may make the very best trainer,
attention to it. Let’s go into this new chapter
get others to embrace our favorite methods,
but may not be able to explain what they are
fully reopened, fully aware of our strengths,
sometimes to refine what we are doing by
doing to be able to teach students. For every
and fully utilizing them.
adding in new techniques. And we are all
tiny bit of our profession, different skills and
well aware of the myriad variety of ways there
abilities are needed to be the best at it.
are to work with and be around our equine partners. This can sometimes be daunting—
So what are YOUR strengths and weaknesses?
there is no RIGHT way to do anything. Lots of
No one can be all things to all people, and no
people will tell you what the ‘right’ way is and
one can be the very best at every part of our
About the author: Cameo Miller is a Masters-level clinical psychologist and a Level IV ARIA Certified Instructor based in Michigan. She is a member of the ARIA Evaluation Panel and an ARIA National Test Center Administrator.
Summer 2021 | Riding Instructor
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