What a pleasure to have a mature, "broke" horse. Started riding Blue again after his December off, and we just started right up where we left off.  Well a bit of an easy work out as he is a little out of shape, but how nice to just start thinking again about how he is going and where we want to go this year. Last year was a good one for Blue -- I'm happy with our progress and feel we achieved most of the goals I had set out. One might think that working on advanced training would be easier than working with a very green horse, and I do admit it is physically less dangerous for the rider (less chance of being bucked off . . .) but it is every bit, if not more, challenging in the planning department. Figuring out what needs to be discussed next, and how exactly to do that with this horse, so that he improves his performance, stays sounds, stays sane. Building on a conversation that has grown and changed too as Blue has matured.

I could list the handful of things I will be working on with Blue this year, but as usual when I start writing them down I realize that it is really a list of places I need to improve, or pay attention to, in my riding. Blue won't improve if I don't, he won't learn new ways of doing things if I don't also. So there are resolutions for me there, already formed and measured by my horse. Now, to do them!

 

What did you think of this article?

Liked
Disliked
No Opinion