This Sunday I had another lesson.
We continued where we had left it last week, which is basically me working on ever finer aids and also getting to grips with sitting trott without bouncing so that I can then progress to canter.
Some say canter is easier than sitting trott but I am not yet convinced and I want to kind of 'master' a decent sitting trott first for transition purposes.
Now I have to quickly go back to Aikido - In my prevous post I had mentioned the 'too much thinking' and therefore not having a feel for timing.
So today I tried to apply what I am beginning to discover in Aikido. In Aikido, to allow your training partner to practise you have to fully 'give' your body to your partner, i.e. don't tense up, don't resist don't stop him/her. This is important so that both learn to feel balance, timing and each other's energy. Of course that is just on the surface, what really matters is your mind, or NOT mind - to be in the moment, to be one with what is around you, to observe it all and be part of it.
But back to the lesson:
Inpreparation to riding out, I like spending some relaxed time with 'Mr F', grooming, sorting out his feet, etc etc etc. It helps me to figure out his mood and it allows him to get used to the fact that he has to go out. Its some pleasant 'together' time.
There are moments when this is quite important like yesterday, when 'Mr F' had been left alone in the stable for a good 40 minutes and was quite upset about it. When I went to prepare him for going out he was quite unruly and not 'with' me. As I am still a beginner rider I prefer to have 'Mr F' settled prior to getting on, and I think it is more pleasant for him anyway.
We spent quite some time in the yard, grooming, doing stuff etc. I hadn't tied him up so he could roam about. I noticed that he relaxes much quicker if he has freedom of movement.
I continued as though everythign was normal, totally ignoring his upset.
After about 10 minutes 'Mr F' calmed down but was still now and then calling for his mates. I know that although 'Mr F' trusts me, I cannot replace his mates, I am not of the same kind. Some days this bothers him more than on others. If he is bothered, its usually when something is wrong with him, i.e. if he has discomfort or pain.
When it was time to leave, 'Mr F' had accepted his lot and was happy enough with just my company. We made our way over to the meange where our lesson was to start in about 10 minutes.
Where were greeted by a very humourus 'Rupert' and this usually means: hell' make you work! And indeed, he was putting me through the paces today with this sitting trott! And it appears that I seem to have encouraged him to do riding without stirrups too because suddenly he said: 'You know what, I did some sitting trott yesterday and things where shacking that hadn't been shaking for a long time!' (referring to his stomach ...) Needless to say I spend much time laughing in that menage when 'Rupert' is there.
On this note: I realise that as soon as I laugh, I relax! Something I noticed in Aikido too. Laughing frees up everything.
I hadn't thought about it before but I suddenly am aware that OUR BODY REACTS TO OUR MIND. We get so tangled up with all the input,
the constant being spoken to, our minds that want to control everything. We become serious, we become angry, we become expectant, we create problems where there aren't any, we look forward to something in the future (which isn't real) or we cling on to something in the past (which also is no longer real). And all this trouble simply because we have this little 'monster' in our body called the mind, who is demands constant attention and makes stuff up.
Anyone that has regular experience with the odd drink or other drugs will surely have noticed the peace after a pint or two of beer, or a glass or two of wine. Suddenly, the voices in the head quieten down and there is peace and temporary 'happiness'.
This realisation has really gone under my skin. There must be a way to be in a peaceful, joyous and free place all the time, regardless of circumstances, without using any substances. 'I am not truly alive ...' this sticks in my head now.
But for now back to the lesson:
I experimented with different positions, sitting a little further back or more forward, listening to 'Mr F' pointing out 'No woman, don't sit there!' - 'Ok ...' - 'And not there either!' - 'OK OK!' *sigh*.
After 20 minutes of this sitting trott business my legs were getting very tired and I felt my entire body being stiff like a plank of wood. I couldn't shut up my mind which was so loud now that I would have loved to banged my head against a wall just to shut it up!
I was close to getting off and ending the lesson early but no, I don't quit - 'Enough! Forget about everything and just go with it. Who cares if you look like a bag of potoatoes - it doesn't matter. Just let 'Mr F' have that body of mine!' This change of mind made a huge difference! The last 10 minutes we actually had a half-way acceptable sitting trott and 'Mr F' was striding out more relaxed. He also picked up quite a bit of speed as it was now more comfortable for him. 'Rupert' too commented on the sudden improvement.
I did tell him about Aikido and I think I made him interested ... a little. Unfortunately he is never free on the evening when we have our class, else he would have come along to see what it is all about.
I am once more grateful for 'Mr F' being so patient - I am glad he doesn't have a human mind!
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