Trust and Partnership
Anke Hawke Balanced Dressage
January 28 ·
A few thoughts on Trust and partnership,
Riding is a partnership and as with any partnership, there are little “nuisances” to be gotten through that are needed to create trust!
For the Horse:
• Balancing your horse from front to back, to be even over all four legs, as well as from side to side.
• Being aware of just where are the horse’s shoulders and hips, spinal alignment, wither lift, rib cage rotation, as well as a balanced, even strength and carrying power over both hind legs….. and the ability to use the haunches.
• Using different exercise patterns movements and riding lines to create, restore or enhance alignment – all gives you a more even balanced horse.
For the Rider:
• Sitting in the middle of your horse, balanced evenly through your seat – using your poise to stay light and moving with your horse’s momentum….as well as (of course) not allowing tension to set in!
• Allowing and encouraging a playful attitude towards exercises, away from endless (boring) repetition and patterns
• Riding with feel and mindfulness to set the horse up for success.
This partnership and trust means also being aware of mood swings- Yours and Theirs!
It’s not avoiding conflict because I am weak, it is teaching my horse he is safe with me
I truly listen to my horse.
It’s so rare for a willing horse to refuse, so- always pay attention to little mood changes.
Be in the’ here and now. enjoy your riding.
To be tense, angry or afraid creates a conflict with your horse.
Horses are more tuned into our mood swings then we give them credit for!
In a discouraged horse, it is harder to bring their trust back, than to just take a little more time to figure things out……and remembering to reward every little step in the right direction.