by Craig Stevens | Sep 1, 2015 | Craig Stevens' Blog
As with most things, there are two aspects to working with the horse; subjective and objective. It is important to keep in mind that the real value in dressage is always subjective and about a personal experience with the horse. The denial of the subjective realm does not make it vanish. All because in modern times we are lost in a seeming self righteous objectivity does not remove the importance of the cultivation of a personal and subjective dressage. The simple fact that unity between the horse and rider must start from the human side and that this starts from the inside out does not mean that the willing acceptance of the horse can be avoided. We like to think of human superiority creating a dressage which as the dictation of the horse’s surrender, but in fact it is the other way around. Our true superiority is in the acceptance of our need to surrender to the horse and good dressage are the terms of the deal. In the “deal” we do not have to give up our ego, but we do learn of the terms the horse would have for the ego to exist. In this compromise we learn of the importance of the exchange of another (the horse) with our self. In service to the horse, we can find the value of our own humanity. We are at our best when we put the welfare of another before our own. This is where the nobility of dressage is found and the place where the birth of sanity occurs. At this point, dressage is personal and subjective and objective dressage...
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