SELF SABOTAGE – Do we realise what we do?

by Carmel Rowley www.carmelrowley.com.au

For years, no decades, I’ve encountered people who appear to make a concerted effort to self-sabotage. The problem being, as this cycle gains momentum people begin to spread negative feedback. I read that people will repeat something negative fifteen times and something positive seven times, so any form of self -sabotage is harming potential improvement and the very thing people are trying to achieve.

Life is made up of cycles, trends and habits, ironically the same cause and effect is repeated over time in many endeavours. In the book world, there are cover trends and specific genres, for example vampires and more recently outback romance. The fashion world is one of the most obvious examples for trends. Who would have thought that stove pipe pants and flares would actually make their return together!

With breeding horses there are also trends, whether it’s a specific pedigree or the outward appearance, the structure of the horse. The cause is often breeders observing others being successful, either in the show ring or regarding sales. This then sees the trend picked up and multiplied and the eventual effect becomes over supply. Sales become difficult, horses lose their value and breeders become desperate with some willing to do anything to make a sale.

At present around the world there appears to be an oversupply of Arabian horses; breeders are in the middle of a general price slump. The number of “horses for sale” notifications arriving in my inbox suggests this fact. So what do breeders do?

This is when breeders have to use common sense, in fact had they been observant years ago they would have known this oversupply was bound to happen. It only takes some thought and understanding of how things have gone before.

Certainly it’s a buyer market but buyers beware of the desperate who denigrate the horses and even the bloodlines they own, insisting there is no money to be made from specific groups of horses. Breeding horses is difficult; just the logistics alone; nearly a whole year for a mare to have a foal, implies you have to be determined and dedicated to survive long term.

Churning out foals for the sake of the mighty dollar is not the most ideal motivation to breed Arabian horses. We all know money is a mind convincing motivator. People are good at fooling themselves, many before me have stated that breeding specifically for money has a way of coming back to bite you and bringing out the worst in people.

I’m not saying making money is a bad thing because it’s necessary to live and why shouldn’t people strive for a better lifestyle and success. The fact remains that if you bred horses, design clothes, paint pictures or write books, sales have to be made. My argument being the way these sales are handled. This is especially pertinent if you breed larger animals like horses. They are expensive to keep so if you breed, you eventually have to sell and sell and sell. So wouldn’t it be wiser to cease any sabotage and instead offer to educate and support the people who might happen to become return clients or friends.

As breeders of high percentage Egyptian and straight Egyptian Arabian horses for many decades, we observed breeders buying up Egyptian bloodstock in purchasing frenzy, as if straight Egyptian horses were the last frontier. Good for sales at the time but naturally the inevitable happens.  Anyone can do the maths and realise what will happen when all the horses sold are bred from … Yes you’re right, once again there’s an over-supply.

Then as the cycle continues, people become desperate to cull and cut costs. The self-sabotage kicks in and again we are left to wonder why people don’t think ahead and read the signs,  learn from the past mistakes.

Think about:

• What is the focus?
• Should it only be about the money?
• Consider the future of the horses.
• Observe and make plans to suit the times.

I suppose it’s far easier to go with the flow even if it means self sabotage of the very breed people apparently love. Prices drop, enthusiasm stalls and instead of encouraging and explaining the circumstances, new breeders are informed there’s no money to be made from breeding! Breeders should listen to what they are saying, listen to how they share with others and understand the ramifications of foolish self-sabotaging talk.

Think how you would react if someone told you there’s no hope of making sales for the paintings, books, or horses you purchase and later breed from. Think about how you would react if someone said this to you. I know I would turn and run away, never to return. In some people’s eyes sales are tantamount to being successful. If told this is not possible, people back away, no longer willing to give this once exciting idea a go. More importantly, they’ve realised this person would never offer them any support let alone friendship.

It takes a special kind of person to encourage enthusiasm and explain the cycle of human compulsion to new breeders. Selling is only one small part of the big picture when it comes to breeding horses.

These days as I plot and write my novels, I draw on my experience of many decades of breeding Arabian horses. I’ve mentioned many times how my writing journey parallels my breeding journey. Yes, I have to sell books just as I had to sell horses.  I would have loved to have kept all the horses I bred but that could only happen in a story book. Not in real life. In size, Pearsons View was a small stud and we were careful about the number of foals we bred. We ran the stud ourselves and went off the farm to work so it was imperative to be practical and understand the most ideal way to operate our stud.

I like to believe that human beings are innately good and caring, which is why any form of habitual self-sabotage is distressing. A little candid honesty can go a long way in cementing a fantastic relationship and even lasting friendships. More than anything I hope the Arabian breed will continue to offer it’s carers that whimsical sensation of magical, timelessness that I love to write about.

From “Tails Carried High” – A snapshot of splendour…

 

“… Sonja waved to her worker painting fences, asking, ‘Is he in his usual place?’

The young man nodded and pointed across the lane-way to a large paddock where the grove of dense bush finished in the lower corner. Jessikah jumped with surprise when Sonja put two fingers to her mouth and gave an ear splitting whistle. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then, from deep in the bush, a high-pitched neigh echoed from the trees.

Adrenaline began to course through Jessikah’s body. She leaned forward to see what was about to emerge from the trees. The ground trembled with the thud of hooves. The galloping grew louder and, before Jessikah could gather her thoughts, the underbrush parted, to reveal her life’s yearning, the Pegasus of her dreams.

 A steel grey stallion exploded from the bush before skidding to a halt. He sniffed the air, the spirit of his ancestors flashing from his eyes. He searched the paddock for Sonja, rising on his hind legs and coming back to earth with a defiant toss of his head, stamping his forelegs. His mane and tail were curtains of silver, lifting in the light breeze as his movement slowed. It was as though he had been switched to slow motion. Recognising Sonja, he launched himself into the air, pushing forward from powerful hind limbs, his muscular frame reminding Jessikah of the highest wave in the ocean, surging forward, powerful, yet in perfect control. Her eyes captured a snapshot of splendour; she had forgotten to draw breath.

When her breath emptied in a long sigh, she felt an immediate slamming in the region of her heart. Her hand slid to the base of her throat in an attempt to swallow. She was afraid to take her gaze from the horse, in case she was dreaming and he disappeared.” (Excerpt from Tails Carried High.)

Haven’t all of us who adore horses felt that slamming in the region of the heart? I urge Arabian horse lovers to hold onto those emotions and to share them. Don’t deny others those feelings by bursting their bubble of enthusiasm. Instead understand the impulses of our fellow human beings and learn how rash actions like self-sabotage depletes rather than increases the passion in self and others. You may initially receive a small reward but generally it’s only a brief respite considering the time factor of the overall breeding journey.

A love of the horse and a clear understanding of all the ups and down’s that goes with business venture is essential, and especially in the pursuit of breeding great Arabian horses. The cycle of life and shared beauty both measured by infinity.

What do you think?

Visit the authors website: www.carmelrowley.com.au