As we see with many celebrities these days, these people can become popular not just for their talent. Maybe a horseman or woman becomes popular because they are a world champion or have won some other great competition; maybe they seem to have some magical horse whispering gift, or maybe they just have a great promotions expert, have a slick website, lots of ‘tools’ to buy that will give you the same power they have or the perfect seven step program they claim is the key to training any horse. It’s not too difficult to become a star-struck student amongst all of this flash. It can be easy to lose track of our own sensibility in this celebrity clinician climate.

It is exciting to go to clinics and be a part of a group of people that think like you do and are on your side. It’s fun to have an expert pay attention to you, even when you’ve paid for that attention. It can boost your self confidence to have that teacher pay you a compliment. You come home on a high and think this person is the one who made you feel good.

As students we have to be open to learn and oftentimes vulnerability comes with this. This is a good thing but we must be careful to not throw away all of the good things we know just for the sake of being noticed by a celebrity clinician or associated with them.

Here are some signs you might be star-struck and heading down a self destructive path:

• You think you cannot move forward in your learning without this person.

• You feel like this person holds THE ANSWER and if you can just know everything they know you too will be the master of your horse, your life, and/or the universe.

• This person is less than respectful to horses or people, maybe even to you but you make up excuses for this behavior. (“Well, that lady deserved it. That horse was being stupid. The teacher was just stressed or tired. People just misunderstand the teacher. I have to put up with this behavior from the teacher if I really want to learn.”)

• You ignore or minimize warnings, concerned comments, or negative experiences from friends, family, fellow students and/or past students. Every teacher probably has some enemies, but if the majority of stories you hear about experiences with this teacher end in disaster and heartache, you might want to check yourself before you wreck yourself.

• You can’t make a decision about training or riding your horse without contacting this teacher and getting her approval first.

• You do whatever this teacher tells you to do without checking in with your own wisdom as well. Red Flag: Do not fire any clients, dump any friends, or sell your horse just because your teacher tells you this is what you must do to keep working with them. Weigh the teacher’s opinion against your wisdom and previous experience and knowledge. Sleep on it.

• You jump through hoops to keep the approval of this person. You might let this teacher host clinics out of your facility for free. You cater lunches, run their errands, donate your time and other talents at the expense of your own horses and family, stay after clinics to help pack up, invite them to stay in your home, and introduce them to your friends or students. Unless you have a signed contract stating exactly each person’s obligations and remuneration, don’t even think about doing this. If you think you are doing this just for the sheer joy of helping this teacher, unless you’re the Buddha, you probably have some expectations deep down inside. You are setting yourself up to be burned even if this teacher is honest; and if they aren’t, watch out! Things are about to get ugly.

• You spend money that you really don’t have to show your loyalty by going to every clinic you can and buying every DVD, book, $500 magical tool kit, and $10,000 certification course.

• You stop wearing your style of clothes and show up at horse events looking like your teacher, Buckaroo Bob. You sell your perfectly good saddle and buy one just like your teacher’s saddle. You even start talking like your teacher.

It can be fun being a star-struck student as long as you recognize it and don’t let it become dysfunctional. It’s a lot like having a crush on someone. You admire this person and see them through rose-colored glasses. Just remember, they are regular people too with regular bad habits and hang-ups along with that special talent or magnificent website they’ve spent years developing. Keep your wits about you, learn what you can, and become your own best horseman or woman.

Have you ever been a star-struck student? What did you learn from this experience?