Today was a struggle – Max seemed to have hidden his manners somewhere… still, everything is a learning experience and there were things to take away and no time was wasted: if we were going back to basics then no-stirrups it was!
Although it was frustrating when all I’d hoped to work on was some fairly basic things to smooth out our dressage (standing still after the halt, not turning into The Road Runner in Canter-Trot transitions, that kind of thing). As it was, halt was passable (maybe for a 6) and the immobility was hunting for a 4. If he wasn’t up for the work then I wasn’t going to waste a precious opportunity to sit in the saddle and learn something.
It’s a real privilege to sit on the back of a horse, even more so when it’s your own; when it’s difficult to find the time or reach the yard then every moment has to be appreciated doubly. Of course it should also be counted as a pleasure, like most activities where there’s capacity for learning but primarily is something you choose because you love it, so the frustration has to be channelled away.
B is for…? Well, as we didn’t quite have the productive session I’d planned but managed something good, I’ll settle for Bonus and hope that the Basics will be back at the weekend!
The Eventing Organist 