FEBRUARY 2007 • VOLUME 18 • © HORSES For LIFE™ Magazine

I have been formulating my 'challenge' in my mind for a while, but seeing the video clips in this month's mag (January 2007 Issue) put it into words for me - now look at how relaxed that horse is, how he is lost in his work (or would you call it dance? play? adventure?) with his rider/trainer. It was the same in the August one last year - sorry, cannot remember names but you know the one - just in a quiet planet all on their own.

Now my horse is a spooky boy, and although I CAN get him relaxed and listening, with his ears telling me this is the case, his body nice and soft and we are doing well....suddenly he's off and spooking at something, a noise, a movement he sees out of the corner of his eye....this of course makes me less keen to ride on the long giving rein we see in this month's mag.... and I am sure those horses are spirited creatures just like mine, yet they seem to be totally calm...is it all because of me? Probably! But I can't ride on a rein like that without risking being catapulted out of the saddle if Neddy suddenly does one of his 180 degree whiprounds and 0-100kph accelerations!

BUT I want to ride like that - I don't want to have the short reins and strong contact ... if I am constantly playing lightly with the reins and especially when he starts getting worried about 'noises off' etc., then he seems comforted and will keep on listening to me, but this could all be the wrong way round..and I would like to work towards self-carriage and lightness from a light start rather than being tight then getting looser if you see what I mean. But I also want to stay alive......

Is it tight-to-loose however? i.e. a question of having the loose reins and the light contact for tiny moments which you then can make longer as the horse gets used to it? I've been experimenting with this in our canter departure work when I have the arena to myself. The horse seems calm and attentive and we've had some lovely moments, but then somehow they 'degenerate' into pulling and rushing. I hope it isn't always me being apprehensive, sometimes I really do feel I am being calm and not tensed up, yet he still reacts with tension....

What's your take on this? I must be ready to work on this aspect because it seems to be the first thing that strikes me when I watch these vids and the thing in them that 'speaks' to me the most....

Thanks
Susan

It is always wonderful to read an email from one of our readers. This one truly spoke to us and inspired us to start a new series in our magazine. "Lessons Together" is about bringing our resources to help one rider. Bringing together, from our incredible equestrian community and from among our contributors, ideas and suggestions for the rider who is looking for help. An equestrian community coming together. Follow this one rider's story and her equestrian's quest.