Share this:

So, spending a little time this morning before taking little one to school and heading off to work, I’m reflecting a little on what things I need to do. Taking a page from Jessica’s “spotty horse news” blog, I’ve got to work on fear management by simply doing. I have now ridden my horse more in the past 3 months than the entire previous year and a half that I’ve owned him. I’m happy with that, but I can and will do better. I proved to myself that I can actually get control of him when he is completely freaked out. My tack is good enough, and my balance is decent enough, that no, I don’t fall off when he full on gallops.

So… my fear reduction plan, is to simply do. He listens to my leg cues and transitions from walk to trot. He obviously can lope, so, in the immortal words of the green muppet from star wars, do, or do not, there is no try. I will simply do — walk, trot and cantor in the outside arena. I will do gymkhana events from my daughter at least once every other month, and I’m going to have fun. The horse show was exhilarating, terrifying, and fun, all in one. There is something to be said about having an actual one ton horse under saddle, and at 9 yrs old, seems to have forgotten that he’s a draft, and believes he’s a thoroughbred. When I’ve taken him on trail rides, he literally lopes up the hills, not trots, not walks, lopes. I need to let the big horse run, and experience first hand the freedom of letting go of my fear and experience the incredible sense of truly being in the moment.

Advertisement