Seriously, just try it.  It’s the only way that you will learn.  

Some of us are genetically pre-disposed to try it, even when we know we shouldn’t.  For example, the little pond north of the house is “dry”.  This evening, I decide to drive the gator across this dry pond.  It worked well for just about 2 chain lengths.  I now know this because it took 2 chains hooked together to tie the gator to a pickup ball so that I could pull it out.  It looked dry but only an inch or two below it was mud.  Really sticky mud.  Now I know.  

     In all honesty, most learning happens when a person can step back and say, “Damn!  Don’t do that again.”

     Over the years, it has drove me nuts when people would say that they could never clip/shear.  You never will be able to if you don’t grab a set of clippers and just try it.  Granted some are better than others but anybody can rough one out if they will just try it. 

     Trimming hooves is another deal.  Try it.  Take some off.  Feel the hoof pad.  Take some more off.  It doesn’t take long to learn when to stop.  It is actually a whole lot like clipping fingernails. 

     And teaching is a whole bunch of just try it.  The past 8 years has consisted of a whole bunch of “Kids, I haven’t ever done this before either but let’s try it.”  Making wurst, building dump bed trailers and operating a greenhouse were all foreign to me till I/we tried it.  And in those instances, I tried it with an audience. 

       Let’s get in the way back machine to 1993.  First year teaching and I had never given an FFA speech or taught somebody to write/give a speech.  I had also never written a proficiency app or national chapter app.  I had to jump in and try it.  Glad I did. 

       In 2003, when 3 girls talked me into buying goats, I didn’t know the care, feeding or management.  I knew livestock but not goats. There were no veterinarians in OK to use for health problems, no “experts” to use for feeding & showing tips.  Texas braced their goats–Okies had to show on the chain.  I had to try it and I learned.  And I am still learning.  

     In the course of Try It, failure is a prerequisite.  If you can’t step back and say “I can do better than that” then you really didn’t try.  AI and ET work in goats is still just a try it, take notes and try not to replicate that disaster.  It’s getting better but it won’t work if you don’t try.

       It’s called life.   Get out there and try it.  The worst thing that will happen is that you will learn what not to do.