A shift of focus

After my freeschooling experience with Amber, my desire to ride at the earliest opportunity had diminished. I now knew I both wanted and needed to conquer the ground work before I could even consider riding! Once you have experienced that level of connection, the idea of riding with any less of a connection is totally unappealing!

Despite having not yet ridden at Pip’s yard I have learned more about riding and horses than I have ever known. Everything I have been learning on the ground will apply when I am riding. On the ground we are using our legs and when we ride we are using the horses legs. Aside from that? Everything else is the same. Posture, intention, body language and energy are key. Whilst I’m very excited about my first experience of actually riding in this way, I know that for it to be what I want it to be, I need to have more practice on the ground. At the moment the effort required to maintain the correct posture and focus wears me out! If I lose concentration on the ground the horse and I lose our connection and I don’t want that to happen when I am in the saddle. I also need to be fitter! Thankfully the effort of Freeschooling is working. I am losing weight and toning up. Bonus!