The
Counterfeit Ring.
(Before
you rush out to buy one- it is not the ultimate round pen for cantering
perfection!)
An imitation can be defined as: The quality of an object in possessing
some of the nature or attributes of a transcendent idea. (Transcendent
is what is beyond normal experience).
How long does it take to form an exquisite diamond or pearl of great
price? How costly are these treasures? How pleasant is the process
involved in the making of these precious commodities? Years in most
cases - and more assets than our spreadsheets afford - with a life
of darkness and pressure for the diamond - and a life of irritation
for the oyster. People pay top dollar for the pleasure of owning them
or having someone else see that they own them. The law of supply and
demand says the more there is of something, the less it is valued.
Diamonds and pearls are rare and precious, and costly because so.
Most of us do not have them because we cannot afford the ideal or
what is beyond "normal" experience.
Some of us have been taken in by "knock-offs" or look-alikes
(the price should have been the first clue, or perhaps the back door
of the van). Oh, there is definitely a market for the unreal, and
much of our society buys into it everyday.
Imitation possesses some of the quality of the real thing and can
easily fool the majority. It takes years of experiencing the real
in order to detect the fake. Bank tellers are trained to handle the
real money, so when a counterfeit passes through their hands, they
can quickly stop its circulation. There is no way to view all counterfeits
and then know what is real. That is too confusing. The ideal is learned
first.
When it comes to our horses, can we afford to mess around with imitation?
It is one thing to be embarrassed because we were taken in by the
guy in the overcoat ("psst, wanna buy a watch?"). It is
another to continue to fool ourselves into thinking we've got the
real thing. Don't our horses (and we too) deserve the transcendent,
abundant, above ordinary experience? Learn all you can about horses
and do not fall for following the "norm”, just because
everyone else does it. Sure it is nice to fit in and not be different.
But when fitting in means taking shortcuts, accepting as a rule the
substandard behaviour and "training" procedures that are
so prevalent, we do our horses and society a disservice. Just remember
there is a bigger pond out there where things are done on a higher
plane. There is no reason why we cannot exhibit the same real quality
that many professionals do. Anything worth having takes time and struggle.
If it is a "buy it now" offer, the price you pay is usually
indicative of its worth. Do not settle for counterfeit. The value
of the real thing only improves with age. You owe yourself and your
horse better. "Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where
rust and moth do not corrupt".
-
Ann Allen
