There is no shame in being ignorant. Ignorance is only the state of being uniformed. However, if after being informed one still adheres to the same flawed reasoning, one is more than ignorant. One is stupid. Few things are more rewarding than to teach an ignorant, but curious, person. Few things are more frustrating and ultimately futile than trying to teach a stupid, arrogant person.
Unfortunately, the established horse world teems with the stupid and arrogant who reach out to the ignorant. The ignorant are then left only with the advice and knowledge of the stupid and arrogant as their source of knowledge of horses and horsemanship. This is worse than the blind leading the blind. This is the blind leading those whose eyes they are gouging out.
I revel in my ignorance. It helps me enjoy the constant process of learning. I make no pretense of knowing everything about horses. Instead I am happy to know that I am seeking to learn everything about horses.
One cannot always readily distinguish between the ignorant, who make great students, and the stupid and arrogant, who make great spokesman for the established horse world. Certain hints help in making the determination.
Eyes opened wide in awe of the sight of their first wild horse--ignorant
Eyes squinting and smirking at the sight of their first wild horse--stupid and arrogant
Ten dollar blue jeans a bit too large for riding--ignorant
Four hundred dollar riding pants that were too small for her even twenty years ago--stupid and arrogant
Is not certain of the name of the father of Sea Biscuit--ignorant
Is not certain of the name of the father of her third child--stupid and arrogant
Thinks that horses need to wear shoes--ignorant
Brags about how expensive her horse's shoes are--stupid and arrogant
Thinks that horses should be kept shampooed clean--ignorant
Hires someone to shampoo her horse weekly--stupid and arrogant
Mouth closed--ignorant
Mouth constantly open--stupid and arrogant
Asks me if my 13 hand Corollas can carry me 50 miles in a day--ignorant
Tells me that my 13 hand Corollas cannot carry me 50 miles in a day--stupid and arrogant
Does not know that kids can learn how to tame wild horses--ignorant
Brags that they send all of their horses off for professional training--ignorant and arrogant
The experts of the established horse world seem to dedicate their lives to proving the truth of former Vice-President Quayle's misquote, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste and it is even worse to not have one."
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