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?