I am a novice horseback rider with lots to learn.
My instructor pointed out that I was using the wrong paradigm for turning my horse.
I was turning my horse Poppy like I turn my car. I was turning Poppy by moving both hands and literally steering my horse. Instead of using the reins for “steering,” they should be used like the walls of a hallway.
This means the best way to lead a horse is by providing the parameters or boundaries of where they can go and where they are headed.
“And this is one of the major questions of our lives: how we keep boundaries, what permission we have to cross boundaries, and how we do so.” ~A. B. Yehoshua
Reins work by controlling the bit that’s in the horse’s mouth and where pressure is exerted. The bit is assisted by the bridle which creates additional pressure around the horse’s head—on its cheeks, chin or nose.
The idea is that, by moving away from the discomfort of the pressing bit, the horse moves in the direction the rider wants to go. In a properly trained horse with the right tack and a knowledgeable rider, it all works together to create unity between the rider’s wishes and the horse’s performance.
The way you reward the horse is giving them more rein—this means removing some of the pressure. This tells the horse you know it’s going the right direction and that you want more of that way.
“Self-image sets the boundaries of individual accomplishment.” ~Maxwell Maltz
As my riding instructor explained this, I couldn’t help but think how horses are like people. We don’t like to be steered. We like to know our boundaries and to know we are going the right way.
As a mom, wife, and leader, I find it is easy to forget this important life lesson. You?
Image source before quote: morgueFile.com
