a willing partnership
i went horseback riding this week and learned to think of it as an exercise in willing partnership. first of all, let the horse come to you. horses have been coming up to me most of my life; usually when i'm out walking and stop to say hello or just quietly lock eyes with them. i had a favorite back in junior high that i would visit down the country lane from my childhood home. i also had a shelf devoted to horses growing up--those plastic action figures of the animal world--and would spend hours drawing them.
this week, i started with ground work. just getting to know the animal by observing the hows and whys of their movement; learning their language. i learned not to invade their space and also not to let them invade mine, imagining boundary lines around our respective bodies. i also observed that--like us--they move away from pressure, so that is how to guide them as well, and it doesn't take much. with a well-trained horse, the slightest shift in body weight or turn of wrist will tell them where you want to go. and, as pack animals, they want to be led.
they can tell if you aren't comfortable leading and will test you to see if you know what you're doing. mean what you say. do one command at a time. don't give them mixed messages. don't over correct. do hold the reigns loosely but firmly. and when they do what you want them to do, release the pressure immediately. saying something over and over causes it to lose meaning. and no amount of pushing, prodding, coaxing or yelling (which are not my style anyway) will move a two-ton animal, in fact, quite the opposite.
horses and humans have such affinity for one another and are so much alike. when they are afraid or anxious, there's a reason. they seem to internalize their surroundings, so this is not the time to layer on more commands, but rather to focus on removing them from the stress in order to soothe them. the perfect storm is when their fear sparks yours or vice-versa and ignites a frenzy. a calm horse, however, is once again ready to listen and will go anywhere with and for you.
this willing partnership revealed a lot to me about fear, trust, potential, and power. their strength under control makes for a truly amazing, insightful and enjoyable ride. oh, and it doesn't hurt to take a bunch of carrots along with you, either.
this week, i started with ground work. just getting to know the animal by observing the hows and whys of their movement; learning their language. i learned not to invade their space and also not to let them invade mine, imagining boundary lines around our respective bodies. i also observed that--like us--they move away from pressure, so that is how to guide them as well, and it doesn't take much. with a well-trained horse, the slightest shift in body weight or turn of wrist will tell them where you want to go. and, as pack animals, they want to be led.
they can tell if you aren't comfortable leading and will test you to see if you know what you're doing. mean what you say. do one command at a time. don't give them mixed messages. don't over correct. do hold the reigns loosely but firmly. and when they do what you want them to do, release the pressure immediately. saying something over and over causes it to lose meaning. and no amount of pushing, prodding, coaxing or yelling (which are not my style anyway) will move a two-ton animal, in fact, quite the opposite.
horses and humans have such affinity for one another and are so much alike. when they are afraid or anxious, there's a reason. they seem to internalize their surroundings, so this is not the time to layer on more commands, but rather to focus on removing them from the stress in order to soothe them. the perfect storm is when their fear sparks yours or vice-versa and ignites a frenzy. a calm horse, however, is once again ready to listen and will go anywhere with and for you.
this willing partnership revealed a lot to me about fear, trust, potential, and power. their strength under control makes for a truly amazing, insightful and enjoyable ride. oh, and it doesn't hurt to take a bunch of carrots along with you, either.
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