There is a an old Guy Clark tune from back in the ‘90s called “Stuff That Works.” Both of my boys roll there eyes when I pull out the lyrics while we are playing music together. If I am being totally honest, it is not my favorite song to play, nor do I find the lyrics or melody captivating. What I do love, however, is the story the song tells.

Here is the chorus:

Stuff that works, stuff that holds up

The kind of stuff you don’t hang on the wall

Stuff that’s real, stuff you feel

The kind of stuff you reach for when you fall

In a day and age where everyone seems to be an expert, and where social media makes it easy to advertise that to the world, I’ve come to value something different. More and more, I find myself drawn to the people who commit to developing deep knowledge—and then take it a step further, bridging the gap between that knowledge and real-world practice.

This weekend I get to spend time with Pippa Callanan. She is one of those special humans that is profoundly passionate about deepening her knowledge and understanding of the horse. If you search for her online you will find a simple website and a Facebook page. What you won’t find are proclamations or promises of the amazing things she can do, has done, or will do for you, What you will find on her Facebook feed are statements of gratitude for time spent, skill taught, and knowledge shared. Stuff that works.

I wish I had a picture of Nubble’s try as she found the balance to take a step or two of her first piaffe-ish movement. I wish I could share a picture of the feel of her soft and relaxed jaw and the noticeable change in her as a I was encouraged to reach for her in a different way. I can’t remember a time when I have concentrated that long, with that intensity. And, it was a joy. Stuff that works.

I am renewed and inspired to continue learning. Not the “I heard this in a podcast” learning but the deep learning that comes when we take the information, thoughts and ideas we hear in those podcasts, videos, books, and lessons and use it as inspiration to take a deeper dive. The kind of learning where we seek deep truths that connect different traditions, theories, and perspectives. Then, connect that knowledge and understanding to practice by searching for the stuff that holds up over time. Not just in the ivory tower of my mind, but in the arena, in the real interactions I have with my horses. The stuff that I can see, and feel and experience. The stuff I can count on to support me when times are challenging. You know, the stuff that works. ~ Paul

PC – Erin Gilmore Photography

Pippa Callanan

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