One of the greatest things we can do for our horse, is to learn to ride better. I am on the quest to do so, so that when the horse for whom I'm waiting comes into my life, I am fully ready. In order to do this, I am going to half lease a Hanoverian named Mia. I have mentioned her before. She has already taught me to sit up straigter and to ride through problems that arise. I have the ability to do so, but not when I freeze out of fear.

"Stretch. Challenge yourself. Get out of your comfort zone. Come on, it's horses and riding. Things go wrong, and as long as they're not so wrong that you're going to get hurt or your horse is going to suffer, the time something goes wrong can be the time you learn the most."

-- Jeff Cook, Practical Horseman, May 2006

Although we may not like being faced with "problems" specifically when our physical safety feels comprimised, but it is a part of what needs to take place in order to become an effective horseback rider. Be brave and move forward with what makes your heart soar.

It amazes me every time I ride, how symbolic it is of life in general. We are all the director's of our lives (or horse), but we are not the controller. You ask for what you want, but you do not force that result. You always receive what you ask for (ask and you shall receive). If you do not see it that way, ask yourself two questions
1. What am I doing that asks for what I am receiving and
2. What beliefs do I have about receiving that may interfere with getting what I want.

Is it not true that excellent riders assume the horse will follow through with what they have asked of them. This trust allows the rider to be slow and patient about receiving it. I on the other hand, often feel frustration the very instant I ask because the result didn't arrive immediately.

In response to this problem, yesterday I slowed down. Slowed my thought process, my actions, adjustments, and my attitude. This worked, when it was done well. At what speed do you use your weight and aides? How fast or slow is your thought process? This is possibly why people affiliate riding with meditation. It is best done, when you have slowed down your mind. The next question is, which comes first? The slow mind, resulting in being more in the actual moment. Or as you become more in the moment, does your mind slow down?

The Need to Win
by Chuang Tzu, Taoist philosopher (399-295 BC)

When an archer is shooting at nothing
she has all her skill.
If she shoots for a brass buckle
she is already nervous.
If she shoots for a prize of gold
she goes blind
or sees two targets--
She is out of her mind!

Her skill has not changed.
But the prize
divides her. She cares.
She thinks more of winning
than of shooting--

And the need to win
drains her of power.

My morning routine is to drink a cup of coffee, while reading something of inspiration. It is a lovely way to start the day off. Because of my preoccupation with increasing my riding skills, yesterday I was reading "The Natural Rider" by Mary Wanless. A book I'd recommend to anyone. I was reading incredibly informative information. One sentence really stuck out, and that was "Many riders imagine that staying in place 'by balance alone' implies that they should be as relaxed as possible, without actively doing anything to stay in place. But when the rider becomes this passive, she cannot take responsibility for her own weight, and she slips toward the back of the saddle; once here she is reactive rather than casual; her seat becomes relatively useless; and she has to grip onto the saddle and pull on the rein to hold herself in place."

Because I don't feel that improving my riding skills is the perfect inspiration to start my day, I picked up a different book called 'The Path of Least Resistance' by Robert Fritz. This was written back in the 80's but I enjoy what he has to say. And this very day I read "One way to describe the reactive-responsive orientation is as a way of living in which you predominantly react or respond to circumstantial stimuli beyond your direct control. When things change in your circumstances, you react or respond to what just changed."

These two ideas, both using the word reactive, brought forth the awareness that I react to the situation the horse provides me, rather than create a structure for which horse and rider work together to create a specific outline or carriage. From this perspective, I will never achieve the very communion with the horse for which I strive. It is now my inspiration to be aware of how I either react to or create situations in my every day life. On and off a horse.

And I ask you, do you respond to what is taking place between horse and rider? Or do you lead and create?

My friend Mia was off today. It's a frustrating thing about horses. I am such an advocate of healing techniques for horses and riders. Why then, do I seem to end up with lame horses. Am I just more observant of the way they feel? I know the owner does not have a lot of money to spend on vet bills and might try to overlook any imbalance as a result. My method of not paying vet bills is to not buy a horse until I know that I can manage it. I love life, and see great value in my circumstances as they are. But every time and again, I feel sorry for myself because I do not have my own horse. But alas, everything in time. I have gone through stages when I think it's time. Only to find no horses that seem right. Then some other financial obligation will come up, causing me to be so thankful not to have a horse of my own.

And through all this time, I sense that I am being set up for a specific situation. One that I am currently unaware of, although I'd love to speculate. But the more I try to guess, the more options I will negate, for it will be something that I never guessed. So, I'll leave it be. And just wait and see.

It seems that I should describe a little of what I'm doing and who I am. By profession, I am a publisher. I publish a local wellness publication that has a holistic slant. Through that, I write and do graphic design work. I also work part-time at the local tack shop (www.cheshirehorse.com). It's great fun being there.

Most free moments, I spend at the barn. At least two hours a day. I get the chance to ride many different horses, as someone always needs their horse ridden. Although this is a great situation, I do long for my own horse as this provides a different sort of relationship. My favorite horse is a 23 year old Dutch Warmblood, named Bastiaan. He is the one in the photo. When I get near him, I feel such a rapport with his inner being. He has on and off again lameness issues.

My newest 'ride' is Mia, an 11year-old Hanovarian. She is great fun, and has a loving personality. When riding, she can have a bit of an attitude. She's stiff and somewhat resistant. And she loves to motor forward, often without finesse. I get the sense that she is not very comfortable when being ridden, and I would like to get to the bottom of that. It is probably this relationship that I will discuss most often. At her lumbosacral joint, there is a slight bump. With my beginners eye, I see that this may be the effect of a pelvis disalignment. Does anyone have any ideas?

It seems that I should describe a little of what I'm doing and who I am. By profession, I am a publisher. I publish a local wellness publication that has a holistic slant to it. Through that I write and do graphic design work, while fascilitating the production of the an advertising sponsored publication. In any free moment I have, I spend at the barn. At least two hours a day. I do some work there, and get the chance to ride many different horses. My favorite is a 23 year old Dutch Warmblood, named Bastiaan. He is the one in the photo. When I get near him, I feel such a rapport. He has on and off again lameness issues. And so my newest 'ride' is Mia, an 11year-old Hanovarian. She is great fun, and has a loving personality. When riding, she can have a bit of an attitude. She's stiff and somewhat resistant. And she loves to motor forward, often without finesse. I get the sense that she is not very comfortable when being ridden, and I would like to get to the bottom of that. It is probably this relationship that I will discuss most often.

Since attending the Equine Myofascial Release workshop, I can not stop thinking about how fruitless it is to have bodywork done on either our own bodies or our horses, without doing the other. As mirrors of each other, wouldn't the changes in one be wiped out when the two get together again? Although while writing that, it dawns on me that perhaps it would have the opposite effect. One gets bodywork done, and the other follows those changes. For this to take place, I would bet a lot of concentration would need to take place. Meaning that we humans would need to pay attention to what feels different after our horse gets work done. And to be attentive to following that change, rather than changing them back to the old holding pattern. (Although maybe it makes even more sense to get work done on our human bodies, and the horse would most likely follow without the mind set of forcing it to take place....)

How would we, as humans, do that? This is where becoming more and more self-aware comes in to play. Are you able to feel when you tip forward (my most common fault)? or sideways? Is your left leg longer than the other? Or vice versa? It is not an easy task, nor is it something you learn from reading a book or a blog. However, reading does open up pathways of your mind, which in turn may stimulate greater awareness, which often opens up to greater understanding. All is interconnected. There is no knowing what comes first.

I just returned home from an Equine Myofascial Release workshop. It was fabulous. Once again showing me that getting on a horse is not the only way to improve your riding. By doing body work on your horse you will learn where he/she is tight, holding, compressed, uncomfortable etc... Only after assessing your horse in such a way, can you be sure that what is happening that you do not like, is not attributed to a mechanical issue rather than a lack of training/understanding/communication issue.

As a constant seeker of better riding skills, I’ve tried it all. Books, videos, and products. What I have found is invaluable. For starters, the search for skills through means outside yourself is elusive. But also, that becoming a better rider is not about looking great and sitting perfectly. Instead it’s about learning more about horses—specifically their movements. It’s also about becoming aware of your own movements, and observing how the two beings react to each other. From that state of awareness, we are able to adjust the reaction. It is ever common for the rider to focus on the wrong part of the equation.

What I intend to do with this blog is explain that which I have learned (if not always accomplished) along the way of my constant search. Sometimes I will use intellectual knowledge, sometimes self-awareness techniques, and other times actual products that increase your senses while riding.

I have often wondered why I have such ambition to improve my riding, when I do not feel ambitious about competing. And what it boils down to is my love of horses. By improving my riding skills, I am creating a better experience for the being whom I am riding. And it is THAT which is truly of importance to me. Please join me in sharing what you have learned along your journey. Let us join our thoughts and share our wisdom as a way to honor the horse.