Horses for Life

November 2007 • VOLUME 27 • © HORSES For LIFE™ Magazine

Riding with Lightness

We all strive to ride with lightness and are encouraged through a multitude of methods to make that goal a reality. I would like to take this opportunity to share my thoughts on riding with lightness.

As human beings, we tend to think too much, and as a result, our brains get in the way of our riding. You do not think lightness, you feel lightness. When you find that true union with your horse, then you have lightness. It has nothing to do with contact on the reins or making sure your horse is moving from behind. Achieving lightness embodies all of that without trying or thinking.

Lightness to me is not a way of riding but rather a partnership, a physical connection, a marriage of horse and rider as a combined unit or what I like to think of as a union of the body, soul and spirit of the horse, rider, air, trees, and entire universe.

I have ridden since I was four years old and participated in numerous clinics with renowned educators. Learning is a constant in my life with these amazing creatures. However, winters in Northwest Colorado necessitate you either practice inside or with nearly 400 inches of snow, you don’t ride at all. Horses and riders catch severe cases of arena fever. This winter I was not able to ride but I played with my horses (no halters or restraints of any kind) on the ground. The bond you build just being one of the herd is amazing. And yes, I have squealed and kicked. In the summer, we are able to spend numerous hours riding in the National Forest and Wilderness Areas. Often we work hard at something normally addressed in the arena, only we do it without confines and in the sunshine out on the trail. Talk about riding with lightness; the horses flourish. Maneuvering up and down the steep mountain, through the thick timber, through roaring creeks and rivers, over logs and precipitous rocky crags, whatever Mother Nature throws in front of us is a gift. Yes, sometimes we come upon bears, elk, deer, moose, badgers, coyotes and a plethora of other animals. Being on horseback allows us to get quite close to the wildlife without interfering with, or frightening them. We love it.

Most recently I was taught and guided by James Shaw, the instructor of “Tai Chi for the Equestrian” and author of “Riding from the Inside Out”. He teaches us the benefits of awareness of our balance and breathing on the ground without horses. Later he incorporates these techniques into our riding. I “thought” I rode with lightness prior to working with James. However the first time I FELT true lightness was during a session with James. It was the most incredible feeling and the most amazing and memorable ride I had ever had. Now it is the new level to which I aspire to achieve every moment when riding.

The energy that flows between my horse and myself, when I ride, is unbelievable. We are the same molecules. With every breath I take in, my horse takes in and we become entwined, heart, body and soul. We breathe together, we balance together, we move fluidly together as one. Through this incredible ballet of movement we are true lightness and unity. We are round, we are powerful, and we dance together with the energy flowing equally between us.

Being human makes it hard to ride with fluidity and lightness all of the time. Our brains constantly get in the way. Our brains do not allow us to honor our other senses; understandably so, as we are taught from birth to think far more than feel. A goal for all of us should be to live and feel from our hearts and not from our brain, for it is from the heart that one can see and feel clearly. Feel the lightness.

By Chris Stanko

Chris lives in Northwest Colorado and is an accomplished artist involved with the making of the Spirit Horse Pots. Incorporating real hair of your beloved horse into the making of your own individual http://www.spirithorsepots.com

Tell us what you think!

Would you like to see more joy and fun in your riding?

Do you agree that rollkur passes all international boundaries and that we need to speak up?

Tell us about your success!

What is dressage to you!

Please note that you must be registered to leave a comment. Registration is FREE!!

Comments

Written by charlotte.meyer on 2007-12-20 20:39:04

If we ourselves do not police the welfare of the horse, the rest of the world will not stand idly by while we continue to maltreat the horse. They see what is happening, even if we have riders who can’t
This eloquently describes a syndrome I've noticed since starting on the path of classical dressage. If you suggest to a non-rider that a horse might prefer not to have his mouth strapped shut (or perhaps not wear a bit at all), or have his neck put into hyperflexion etc etc, the non rider would shrug his or her shoulders and say 'well it's self explanatory. It must be very uncomfortable for them.'
Suggest the same thing to most riders and watch for the bemused expressions as they struggle to cope with the idea of entertaining a horses opinion...

The Horse's Opinion?
Written by suzibn on 2008-01-07 13:58:31

Yes, trying to explain why we do things or how to a non-rider should be fairly easy because they do not have pre-concieved notions clouding their thinking.

With a new, non-horsey partner it has forced me to really re-eximine all of my old beliefs and try over and over to put them in to words he can understand.

In doing this, I found him to be extremely stubborn. He questioned everything and still does, but now, having been introduced into the horse clan, I find that he is even more opinionated. He can not see why it is important to exhibit an animal you love. He can not see why one would use a piece of metal in an animals mouth. He just wants to love it.

Perhaps everyone involved in this thing we call dressage should be forced into the same position for a few days. What is dressage? Before the new partner I would have spounted that it is a systematic way of training a horse, taking into consideration the horse's conformation, disposition and abilities, BUT I would have also said that submission to aides was imperative, that relaxation wa imperative, that lightness and comfort and happiness was imperative, that the welbeing of the horse was utmost in my mind.

Then we viewed a Musical Kurr competition together and I saw what had become of my beloved dressage....they looked like machines. They looked surprisingly like the American Saddlebreds who were trained in stretchies, and chains. They looked artificial.

I fell apart. All of my attitudes towards my beloved dressage fell in tatters at my feet. How could I tell a man I loved that I wanted to particpate..that I have participated often in such a disgusting sport. When did it happen that stiff, artificial movements however accurate rate an 8 or 9? My teacher taught me that two steps of brilliant passage were far better than eight steps of artificially forced passage.
Somewhere over 58 years of life, I have lost any desire to participate in any sport that subjects horses to this horrible way of training.

Thank you, for me dressage is just a French word meaning training. I wil do my traininig in private and I will get my rewards from my horse, not from judges who cannot see what they have done to a sport I once loved.

Sincerely
Mrs. Suzanne Blair-Newlands

The Horse's Opinion?
Written by suzibn on 2008-01-07 14:07:19

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

{/viewonly}

SUBSCRIBE to HORSES For LIFE™ Online Magazine for full access to the exclusive and educational monthly articles in every Issue. Register and then USE the "Subscribe"button in the left hand menu.

Your subscription includes access to
A FULL PAST YEAR OF ISSUES!
Over 200 Articles!!!

For the Instructor, For the Rider, For the Horse.
Horses For LIFE - For You!

OR Enjoy the free articles in every issue available for Registered Members! Registration is FREE! Look for the asterisk * that denotes Free Articles!

[ Back ]