And so it starts.

And so it starts.

In a technical sense, a training session is made up of a series of reprises. A reprise is a sequence of one or more movements joined together without pause between them. Some trainers make the whole session one long reprise but that is not the best. The best approach is to have a logical physical connection from one reprise to another with a pause between reprises. There must always be a pause between reprises. This “logical” connection might be focused first on a inside rear and then the outside rear for example or be from one side to the other. The idea is that the horse’s mind can follow along in the session. Generally in modern dressage, the education of riders and trainer is so poor as to not understand this idea of reprises or dismiss this process as not needed. When such a course is followed training usually appears random or accidental. The mental link is broken between the horse and rider. This is more than unfortunate. The point of the reprise is also usually grounded in the physiological understanding of training but this too is a mistake. The first consideration in training is not the body but always the mind. The mind training at the start automatically draws the horse’s body along and so warm up takes care of itself and the early conditioning is attended to by understanding and attending to the psychological needs of the horse. So how do we start a reprise? The answer may be surprising. It starts when you lead the horse in for training and in the grooming. Every effort should...
Intelligence

Intelligence

Working through the intellect can be a constant discovery of a freshness in the work with the horse. The teachings which come to us from masters from the past and the attempts to discover them in the living experience we have the the horse in daily training sessions is exciting. Working of this scholarly level  means understanding the whole process is like viewing the teachings from the top of the mountain. What is new and modern is not so bewildered and you come to realize that rarely is there anything which is a new approach or new wisdom. Generally when you think something is new, it only means you have not studied the literature enough yet. How we approach learning  is not a matter of  just collecting information for the sake of creating a solid perspective, or developing our individual sense of vanity.  Always the horse remains in the center of our view. So we find that there are other ways for one to be highly scholastic, highly intellectual in this work. Our work, to have value must be connected both physically and emotionally with real horses. We do not work the horse’s of our mind only nor do we throw out the mind and emote toward a horse. We connect and we find certain ground in our daily experience with the horse. In this way, whatever comes up in relation to the working with the horse becomes very simple, very easy and workable. The bedrock of training is always simplicity and what is found in the daily work is always the ultimate determination of the value of dressage. Public acclaim and fashion has never been...
Presence in space

Presence in space

In our work with the horse can put our whole heart into what we do, but if we freeze into a fixed mindset, we setting up stress and resistance in the horse. Instead, we could just open ourselves up and try to work with the same forward energy we are told is necessary to work the horse.  Forward for us is in a curiosity, wondering where this experience with the horse will lead and so we find the courage to experiment with how we are led and lead. This kind of openness of mind is inquisitive and captures the spirit of enthusiasm which creates a presence which is able to play properly in space. What is called control, when properly understood, is the simple perception and relationship with the space which is present in the mutual recognition of each other (horse and human). Our aids are really just a translucent container in which we envelop the horse with love and kindness. It is the cradle from which we give birth to a common and joyful experience with the horse. These two factors, space and container, must be kind for their only substance is that density which either the horse or our minds give to them. To see this as a truth is to understand dressage which can only be light and kind. The only force which can flow from such a situation are those forces which are permitted. These energies are the elements which permit movement to correctly arise. What is correct in such a context is an evolution of awareness. It is not a standard imposed  but the growth of what is. This is a dressage...
Three doors to the upper levels.

Three doors to the upper levels.

The real power in dressage is not found in the horse’s movements or in our dominion over the horse but instead lies in the dominion over ourselves. Real leadership is what is required in good dressage and this is not achieved by keeping the horse down through aggression and submission but rather in uplifting the horse through our clear seeing. What is there to see in the horse? Some see a servant but as one looks closer, we can see the heart and mind of a small child in the horse. We do not need to suppress our children but instead we need to lift them up and help them find the goodness in life. We can only show the horse the goodness that we have in our self through our kind and tender regard. This is the first door to upper level work. The second door is in the joy of the discipline that we undertake together. Our kindness is precise and free of doubt. We share confidence in our work together and for this to arise means that we undertake an education which we share with the horse. In this simple way we learn to listen and cultivate a heartfelt precision. The third door opens when we freely welcome the horse into our life and the horse invites us into its life. This is the manifestation of trust which is forged in kindness and the aids which are free from doubt. Simple and direct we find the centaur in us and we share our humanity with the horse. This is the golden nectar of dressage. We and...