Things I have learnt - Joey

 
Thinking about my boy tonight and being grateful for the journey we had together.  He taught me many things:

1.  He taught me to be a better rider – I had to learn to be precise with my aids. I had to set him up to succeed.

2.  He taught me to secure my seat… :P

3.  He taught me that forwards is the best answer for misbehavior – by the end there was less spooking, less prop-and-whirling, less bucking; all brought on by allowing him to move forwards when he felt like something was scary or too much to deal with.

4.  He taught me to be aware of my pelvic floor muscles and how they affect my seat; one of my biggest AHA! moments this year.

5.  I learnt how much a horse can rely on you and trust to you lead the way.

 

6.  He taught me that I can ride and train a young horse, but it takes a lot of work!

 

7.  He taught me that even when I am ‘paralyzed’ with fear, I can actually ride through it without it affecting my riding too much.

8.  He taught me that ground work is crucial – if your horse listens to you in hand then he is far more likely to listen to you under saddle!

9.  He taught me how much fun it is to have a smart horse; and how hard it is to keep their brains active.

 

10.  He taught me that if you push too hard, accidents will happen – you have to learn when to work through it and when to stop.

 

But mostly he showed me how a horsey partnership can be – yes, we had our ups and downs, but we also connected.  And that connection is something I will always cherish. 

 

Copper and I are developing our relationship further, and I am enjoying that; but they are different horses.  Sometimes I still miss Joey. 

See ya,

bonita