Madame Defarge

The thing about riding a variety of horses is that it exposes a rider's faults that can sometimes be hidden when one rides the same horse all the time. The habit that is currently driving me nuts is the tendency to fidget the reins in a most un-dressage-like way (Jeff Moore once said of me "you have very supple wrists").

Help has come in the form of my trainer Karen's Spanish barb Wizard. My fidgety-ness drives him as crazy as it does me-- more so. He will absolutely not put up with it and exposed my less than perfect hands instantly.

With all this in mind during my ride on Wiz today I disconnected my inclination to fidget, channeled my inner Edward Gal, and quietly but deliberately and independently controlled the movements of my hands with elbows down and half halts coming from the shoulders.

Wizard unlocked something in me today: when we finally communicated it was suddenly Zen: Wizard happily went forward from a through and supple connection, and I was able to maintain it by continuing with my deliberate and independent rein aids, working with yet independent from my leg and seat aids.

Wizard just may make a dressage rider out of me yet!

Wizard the wonder pony,
and Zen master.