"Carrot and Stick?" no "Tart and Sugary"

Being given a surprise Bday cake (my own bit of sugar!)

I want to be a good rider so much I am now considering its time for my husband to loose interest in his guitars and start selling them to create a much bigger riding fund.  Like that’s going to happen! He’s as equally crazy about music as I am about horses. And there we strike a pretty beautiful balance, because we don’t intrude on one another, we encourage we show a level of interest and when push comes to shove we actually stand in the wings and support with some zeal. “Yeah go you” and all that!

We are honest we are never going to be fanatical about each others passions but we do appreciate how much they mean to us.. That’s as far as it goes, and why I need other equally horse crazy folk who share my interest with the commensurate passion. I know when I get with the “girlies” as Meg calls us, that we can talk the hind leg off a donkey about horses and we will all enjoy it. I need to be circumspect with others I know because when Phil starts going on about his woofers, tweeters and reverb (sound effects or tools I think) I start to glaze over.

Its all about balance which is lot like being with and riding horses Physical balance in the saddle and balance of approach and demands. I am learning that the horses need a balance of sugar lumps and firm leadership to give them the confidence to allow themselves to be in synch with their riders requests /aids. Last time I shared one of Spirits first schooling sessions with Hayley (see last post). This week I was able to capture Hayley working with him and his nervousness about having the bridal on and how she overcame this and will continue to school him to get better and better.

the most wonderful setting to ride and talk horse

I am definitely on a journey of self discovery through the quest to ride and those around me are helping me juggle with the ups and downs of the challenges I face. Providing “sugar lumps” of encouragement and constructive direction in equal measure. That includes the “girlies”  and the horses.

This week they surprised me with a lovely lunch Meg made a fab leek Quiche (Tart ) and  they gave me a cake (my own sugar lump) on my birthday. It was so wonderful in a prefect setting being able to ride and talk horse endlessly, thanks ladies. 

Meg dishes out the wonderful Tart(Quiche) Chrissie looks on Yum Yum

I feel quite an affinity with Spirit, although he is a gangly teenager and I am an aging old bird, we still need our instructors balanced guidance and with the same measure of   “Sugary and Tart” to develop.
This week you can see how  with careful schooling Spirit is making progress he is more accepting when being mounted. Hayley explained that once he was obviously relaxed she had to be sure he didn't start playing a game with her around the mounting block. He is clearly relaxed!!!! and she therefore felt able to adopt a firmer approach, in tone and body language. I know all about that Spirit "control yourself woman" thats Hayley to me on one of my bumpier landings.

Alison x