Again... More Than Riding

The past few weeks when we've been out walking around the neighborhood, someone usually asks "Do you ride him?" To which I answer "Yes, but he's had some issues with Lyme disease so I'm giving him the year off." At this point I've said it so many times it's an auto reply. 

The truth is I could be riding him. The past couple weeks Kestrel has really turned around. Teasel and Sarsaparilla have made the biggest difference so far in his Lyme treatment. He's so much more comfortable and has a lot more energy, waiting at the gate and whinnying to be taken out, ready to work. It's so tempting to put a saddle on him, especially on days when my tank is running low and my knees are on fire. Or when I get that aching in my upper arms that signals that I've done too much for the day, it would be so much easier if he could just carry me.

Taking the year off of riding to work on our relationship and groundwork has been illuminating. Sure, I got on him. I sat on his back once and walked around the second time, only to realize he wasn't ready yet. Working on transitions and strengthening his back has brought about a quality of trot I haven't seen from him before. His self carriage is so much more consistent; working in a frame that suits his conformation. But he's still a little crooked to the left, and he still wants to push in with his shoulders.

This time has taken pressure not only off of him but myself as well. It's given me the space to refine things on the ground where in the past I may have settled for less. It's forced me to have an awareness not only of my body language but my energy. Before I relied on mechanical aids because that was all that was ever really taught to me. But I'm not an engineer, I'm an artist. I want to dance.

So when I finally do throw a leg over his back, I want to be sure that I'm not going to lose that quality of gait that I've worked so hard for. I want to be sure I'm grounded in my own energy and not in my head. I want him to carry me with as little effort as possible. And that work is done on the ground.

Again, there's a lot more to horses than just riding.