I was offering to assist 'Lady Jane' in getting her horse 'Madame' and 'Princess Leia' back to her own place.
I have said before that I do not enjoy riding a horse that I have not spent some time with before hand. But as I have been feeding and mucking out both the above mentioned horses I got to know especially 'Madam' pretty well, at least on the ground.
I have not sat in a saddle for nearly 2 months now and was wondering what it might feel like. I did not actually look forward to it but then again I was just too curious to say 'no'.
We tacked up and proceeded to mount. One benefit of a saddle: getting on is just a little more easy. I am just 5" and 'Mr F' is over 16hands. 'Madame' is quite a bit smaller all around.
As soon as I sat in the saddle I noticed that it was very uncomfortable. I missed the movemet beneath me. However, the stirrups did no longer irritate me too much as I did not care about them anylonger.
This showed me that, prior to my starting bareback riding, I was relying on the stirrups for balance, which is why I never felt comfortable.
Now that I have learnt to have a very centered seat and a relaxed body while keeping a strong core, riding with the saddle felt so so very easy! 'DV' is known to be a bit of a 'jogger' ... she likes to go and needs hardly any encouragement. I have ridden her 5 times before and quite often it would be hard work to hold her back..
This time was totally different. We did a fair amount of trotting and where as in the old days I would fight for balance in the stirrups, this time rising trott was so easy ... it just was one beautiful flow of motion. On previous rides on 'Madame' I experienced her as choppy and very stiff, I guess it was me!
She was beautiful to ride and very attentive to any of my aids. I hardly needed the reins. She reacted very well to my seat and she did not do her usual jogging.
Also: sitting trott with stirrups is alot easier than without I discovered ...
But overall I missed the direct contact. The saddle itself was very uncomfortable for me and I felt my movement was restricted by the high pommel and canter and the knee rolls.
All in all I was very surprised just how differently I was within myself as a rider. This short time of me riding with the bareback pad made a huge difference to my balance, my posture and I am learning to move with the horse, as one rather than two separate bodies. It doesn't always go smoothly of course, it all depends on my mind and how complicated I am making it for myself.
And talking of mind: I am beginning to realise more and more that Aikido is about our state of mind. I am not actually learning a great deal physically, if anything that part is just too confusing with contradictory teaching and often very frustrating. That is one of the reasons why 'Lillian' has quit the classes.
There also have been occasions where there had been dismissive reactions by the instructors or even fellow aikidoka on the mat, in response to our inability to perform as expected. That part I am finding fairly irritating, too and it is unecessary because it will make people uncomfortable. In fact I felt there was a fair amount of snobbery about it all.
Some time ago I was a music teacher for a good 4 years (saxophone - but I played other instruments). I remember well that I noticed that I was learning something new with every beginner. Just because I am teaching does not mean I know everything. But more: every new student was a gift because it is someone that comes to me, trusting me and being completely open upening up as they don't yet have any knowledge.
When 'Lillian', 'I' and 'Tom' started with our Aikido training, we arrived on the mat, not having a single clue and we were open to receive input. We trusted (or wanted to trust) the instructior. But we soon realised that very often, our efforts were being dismissed as kind of 'insuficient' and if someone was a particularily 'slow to get it' type, he/she would notice this sometimes in a more painful manner. This in turn doesn't leave a basis for trust and although it was a pity that 'Lillian' didn't want to continue, I fully understood why.
I myself was very close of quitting but still felt this pull (just like it was and still is with 'Mr F') to continue as my gut instict told me I had to learn something here. Something about myself.
There also have been occasions where there had been dismissive reactions by the instructors or even fellow aikidoka on the mat, in response to our inability to perform as expected. That part I am finding fairly irritating, too and it is unecessary because it will make people uncomfortable. In fact I felt there was a fair amount of snobbery about it all.
Some time ago I was a music teacher for a good 4 years (saxophone - but I played other instruments). I remember well that I noticed that I was learning something new with every beginner. Just because I am teaching does not mean I know everything. But more: every new student was a gift because it is someone that comes to me, trusting me and being completely open upening up as they don't yet have any knowledge.
When 'Lillian', 'I' and 'Tom' started with our Aikido training, we arrived on the mat, not having a single clue and we were open to receive input. We trusted (or wanted to trust) the instructior. But we soon realised that very often, our efforts were being dismissed as kind of 'insuficient' and if someone was a particularily 'slow to get it' type, he/she would notice this sometimes in a more painful manner. This in turn doesn't leave a basis for trust and although it was a pity that 'Lillian' didn't want to continue, I fully understood why.
I myself was very close of quitting but still felt this pull (just like it was and still is with 'Mr F') to continue as my gut instict told me I had to learn something here. Something about myself.
'Lillian' and I are jokingly calling it 'thearapy group' ... each time we feel as though we entered yet deeper into our minds ...
Lets hope 'Mr F's knee is getting better as I already miss riding with him.
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