The horse has no reason to be ridden. They are not built for it. It is not required for their survival. The reason horses are ridden is for our gratification. We want to ride. The horses are voluntold that they will participate. It is in our best interest to make the journey as enjoyable and pain free as possible for this task which they are not required to do for survival. If we use force, the horse will react accordingly to preserve their life and limb. If we create pain, the horse will react accordingly by either shutting down, compensating or acting out. If we want to have a successful relationship and journey with out horses, we must strive to keep them comfortable in their work and not make them dread the work. We need to make the work as pleasant as it can be in a situation they did not volunteer for. We need to communicate with our horses in their language as much as possible. We must help them learn to function in our world which has a completely foreign set of expectations for them. We must develop the horse in a way that keeps them strong and supple in their work carrying a rider to preserve long term soundness, both mental and physical. Slow is fast and persistent patience is key.
Wisdom Wednesday
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