MMSC welcomes two-legged athletes

             The Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center played host to athletes of a different kind on July 11. Two members of the University of Kentucky basketball team visited the Center as part of a summer course in career and leadership development. Ramon Harris and Perry Stevenson, both juniors, worked at liberty in the roundpen with four-year-old Finger Lakes Adoption Program filly Come On Bye, which gave them a practical application of leadership skills with a somewhat unconventional teammate. Proceeding one at a time, the goal for each basketball star was to convince the filly that he was a worthy leader by directing her movement confidently but gently while reading her body language. Roundpen work was a new experience for both students, neither of whom had spent much time with horses. “I’ve probably been closer to an alligator than I’ve ever been to a horse [before]”, said Stevenson, “It was really fun,” Harris agreed. Despite their inexperience, both Harris and Stevenson separately achieved ‘join-up’ when the filly chose them as leaders and followed them around the roundpen at will.

            “Herd structure is hierarchical. Horses depend on a strong leader for guidance and protection,” said Susanna Thomas, director of the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center. “Horses respect their leader, therefore anyone who wants to partner with a horse must respect himself first and foremost and prove that he is worthy enough to be followed. A worthy herd leader keeps an eye out on each individual, guiding, protecting and putting the safety of the herd before their own individual needs. In other words, leadership involves service.” “The goal was to show rather than tell them that leadership is not innate”, said Lee Black, tutor for the players. “I was hoping the interaction with the horse would show them how leadership skills are learned and developed over time, as plays in a basketball game. Hopefully once their basketball careers are over, they can become point guards in the real world."