I was thinking to myself this last week as I organize for my young horse…
I was thinking to myself this last week as I organize for my young horse to get started in my dream (not his dream lol) What would the sport look like today if we’d had the horses of today 25 years ago?
I’ve been training and working with horses for 40 years now. I marvel at my young horse I have now, he’s coming 4. As I’ve worked with him over the last 2 ½ years, the joy and frankly the relief and freedom I feel is becoming an everyday appreciation session. He’s not perfect, he’s got all the horse instincts down pat, but I haven’t had to draw from my “learning the hard way” bank of know how with him. And I suspect there’s many many horses being bred now that are gifts just like him.
Which got me to thinking, dressage is a training system that creates a supple, obliging, self carrying, calm equine athlete. And the system and its stages are interchangeable with all horse disciplines, western, english, what have you.
Years ago (and still now) the system had experts and masters with oceans of skill and dedication to the horses and how they were trained. Those masters and mentors kept us in line, they kept us focused on the horses. They insisted we get over ourselves.
But the biggest thing that dictated our adherence to the system and to seek out these mentors was the horses we sat on. Years ago, most of us sat on TB’s. Then Warmbloods came to us here in NA and things changed. Years ago WB horses were sport horses, not specifically bred for dressage like now. Some had long backs, thick middles, tight bodies, attitudes of independence needed for jumper lines etc. But we wanted to have them soft, obliging and athletic so they would be happy and willing in our endeavours.
All that time ago, as riders and trainers (advocates for the horse) we sought the expertise of great horseman. Those wonderful, confident, well traveled, almost always certain mentors ingrained in us the feel of a through horse and instilled discipline in us. We as riders always knew WE had to be better if we wanted a better outcome.
We sought out the mentors and experts because we loved the way the horses felt when they were correctly ridden. We could feel the skills we were acquiring, the focus, and the independence we were building in our pathway to being professionals. The self control and self discipline to create the stillness of good riding.
Now, as I’m working with the horses, I see the sand at my feet as the sand I walked on in so many different outdoor rings, as I cooled out from a very inspiring training session. I smell the hog fuel of the rings of so many amazing cherished mentors I learned flying changes from. When it was just me, the teacher and my horse. The hanging baskets and ponds at so many different venues remind me of the beautiful places where I trained my butt off, sweating through my clothes and so tired, but satisfied from my accomplishments. I worked so hard, it was great.
Cause now when I look up from the sand beneath me feet I see my beautifully bred, willing, happy, trusting, 4 year old and I know I’m so blessed to have him right now, because I remember when I didn’t.