The other day I was reminded of probably the most unusual lesson I had ever been taught in my entire life. By this point I was in my mid-20s and had been studying the martial arts for about 10 years. In that time, I had never learned how to deliver a proper sidekick. It always came out ugly and threw me off balance. I hated this because I loved kicking! I would throw roundhouse, front and back kicks all day long. My crescent kick was decent, but I hated that evil sidekick. But all of that changed with a horse ride through the woods. 

Not long after graduating from university, I took a job as a direct care counselor for juvenile alcohol and drug abusers. It was hard, but rewarding work. One of the therapeutic activities that the kids participated in was riding horses at a local farm. I had never ridden a horse before, but I was adventurous, gave it a shot and grew to love it. Sometime I got as much, if not more, out of it as the kids.

One day, as we’re riding and I was obsessing over how to improve my sidekick, I saw the horse in front of me kick a tree as it passed it. It scared the rider, but I was intrigued by what I saw. As the ride continued, the horse would kick another tree and then another. I started to see that the horse’s kick was a perfect side kick! I then began to break down the horse’s motions so that I could remember when I got alone to try for myself. Sure as everything… IT WORKED! I couldn’t believe it. I had heard the old legend about how kung fu was created when a monk watched a fight between two animals and the horse made me think of how much truth really was behind that one. At least I could say that a horse improved my sidekick!

At any rate, had I just looked at that horse as just a crazy animal I would have missed out on a lesson that I carry with me to this very day. You can learn from anything and anyone. Don’t discount that kid, they have insight to wisdom that you forget when you become an adult. And don’t ignore your elders, either… their experience can make your journey much easier if you take a second and pay attention to them. As they say… like a parachute, the mind works best when it’s open!