Being Looked After - Joyous Cantering!

It is now just over a year since I began riding with a bareback pad and although there have been a few tough times, I don't regret my decision at all, nor does 'Mr F'.

For those that haven't read the first posts of this blog: I had no clue about horses or riding when 'Mr F' entered my life. I had a very few riding lesson as a teenager, but that was on a tame, half numb school pony. If you want to know why I changed to a bareback pad, have a look at this post.

The hard part was getting used to trotting for a longer period of time. If I was to go out with others on a ride, there was to be a lot of trotting involved. I have covered this in previous posts, too I think. It took many months (bare in mind I ride perhaps 2 or 3 times a week, not everyday) to build up the right muscles.

But once I realised that I had to stop resisting, things became easier. By this I mean to no longer resist the horse's movements, to give up on trying to be in rythm but to just be, to trust my body to know, and not my mind. The less I think the better this works. I give over my body to 'Mr F' completely, in a way mine becomes part of his, or in other words: we are one. These are yet still rare occasions and depnd of course on the state of my mind, i.e. the more thinking, the less awareness / presence.  Something I also get to practise in Aikido and in life in general. It is all one and the same.

But before I go too much off track, back to cantering:

I haven't done bareback was cantering because I was worried that I might not be able to stop 'Mr F' once he gets the taste of the speed, him being an ex-racehorse. Especially in groups, if other horses are behind him, I thought that he may just take off. Previous riding was limited to walk and trott.

This is ok but somehow I 'knew' I was holding 'Mr F' back, I was holding us back. 

And so, on a ride with 'Lillian' and her partner 'Tom' we did a fair amount of cantering. The first canter was quite unsettled. I noticed how much 'Mr F' was looking after me. At first he did ask if I really meant 'canter'. And once I affirmed, he made a few strides but would fall back into trott if he felt I was unbalanced. 

Then we did a second set and this time 'Mr F' didn't ask for affirmation. My balance was better and we cantered for a longer time.  The third time was yet better again. But all the while I was aware that 'Mr F' was looking after me, as soon as he felt I wasn't sitting right he'd fall back into trott and walk.

Eventually we reached a small village with a big green at it's center. It was time for more cantering and this time I simply had to 'think' canter and 'Mr F' took off.  All this time I had to be very disciplined not to let my mind intereferre and instead fully embrace every single second. The less thinking I did, the more my body became accustomed to the movement and went with it more naturally. This in turn encouraged 'Mr F' to pick up speed and suddenly I was flooded with sheer joy, for what was a couple of minutes perhaps although it seeme ages and it was beautiful!

There was a short moment when it occured to me: oh hang on, will I be able to stop him? 'Tom' was behind us and 'Mr F' would probably see that as a challenge. But once again, 'Mr F' looked after me and did as I asked him to do.

And even if he wouldn't look after me, that too I would have to accept and deal with it accordingly. I think by resisting circumstances we often make them worse. Horses get beaten up or put into all kinds of shackles so that riders can get them to 'bend' according to their expectations. But by doing that one ends up sitting on a pressure cooker, never knowing when the lid is going to blow!

Some thought that my approach at the start was slow and perhaps even stubborn. But all I care about is to build and work on a partnership between myself and the horse. If he is willing and even enjoys being with me, then he is more likely to be willing to work with me. So far I have not been proven wrong. If we both are of sound 'mind', we will do just fine. It takes as long as it takes.

This ride left me with plenty to observe. We said goodbye to 'Lillian' and 'Tom' and made our way back to the farm. 'Luke' was pleased to see 'Mr F' returning.

'Lillian' & 'Tom'

Above: after the first few canters we had a short rest while the horses ate some grass and we enjoyed the view.

On the way back to the farm I pick different spots where 'Mr R' and I so he can enjoy some juicy grass for a little while.