William Micklem's Page

This is an amazing true story about acceptance and lack of acceptance. It shows how wrong it is to assume all ‘difficult’ horses just need to be ridden more forward. It is wrong to assume that just because a horse is unwilling, napping, rearing or bucking that they are being naughty and need discipline. Indeed it is d… Continue

Last week I quoted the final lines of Robert Frost’s inspiring poem Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening….but it is worth reading in full:

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill u… Continue

In general do you get on with people and horses? What attitude do you have to the majority of people and horses you meet? Many people have a similar attitude to both the humans and horses in their life and get a similar response. If you get on with most two legged and four l… Continue

For young people it is normal to look at their lives in the short term, but as we get older we all tend to start looking at our lives as a whole. In the short term performance achievements often take priority and many young performers are prepared to make enormous sacrifices and give up other opportunities as they chase competition goals. At worst these great challenges may create long-term difficulties or regrets. For example they may leave a competitor with cronic pain or, if female, lose the… Continue

So where do you all stand on the issue of corporal punishment for children? Most think it unacceptable and without doubt physical force is a poor substitute for understanding and communication…..a poor substitute for education and motivation…..and in particular a poor substitute for leading by example and with great love. Can this be the same for horses? There can be only one answer as far as I am concerned……YES…with one reservation. The example has to be given by other horses, which is why I th… Continue