Curiosity

Today I tried to go about my riding with an ever present air of curiosity. I have been mulling about in my mind just how to go about working with Jerry. We seemed to have made a breakthrough so far with starting him back to work, and relieving some of his tendency of nervousness and wanting to run off. But a relapse to it has always seemed to loom over the work. How I worked him today was half experiment, and yet half knowing. I just followed my intuition and then observed how it worked. When he wanted to move off at mounting, I used my voice and left the reins unchanged. He hesitated to stop, but then did off the voice alone. Another attempt at mounting, the same thing. I just kept repeating it with him and he finally stood still. He wanted to move almost immediately after I was aboard, and I gave little protest, leaving my hands and reins unchanged from the mounting. His gait was tense, a speedy walk, however an improvement to be at walk than in corto or trot. So we continued and I gave him verbal praise for staying at the walk and he began to relax and smooth out his walk. When I picked up both reins there was a little tenseness, but very little. I let my seat dictate all of the cues, leaving the reins to only support the actions of my seat, rather than vice versa. I have to say, honestly, this was the most relaxed ride Jerry has given me since before he foundered years ago.

Curiosity is an interesting thing, and I have to say that I enjoy employing it in riding quite a lot. It changes my role from being leader, dominant, dictator, ruler, whatever… to fellow companion, adventurer, observer, etc. Lightens the heaviness of training and lets fun, fellowship and friendship in.