Lately I've faced a dilemma that cannot be measured, or scored, or perhaps even noticed by someone watching me. I found that my horse was moving really well and doing everything I asked of him, but he just didn’t seem himself. Now, to someone who just thinks of the horse as a tool to use in the arena, they would think it was irrelevant, or perhaps not even notice that their horse was not seeming to show that little bit of extra spark that makes him, him.
I couldn’t explain what was happening and from the outside it seemed as if he was really strong, and feeling super, but to me he felt a little flat, or just like he’d lost something inside. I started to think on it and realised that I was also feeling a little bit flat and not myself. You might think me ridiculous, but I felt as if Batialo was picking up on the fact that somehow I’d become a bit too concerned with getting everything right, that I had forgotten to have fun!
Nuno Oliveira used to say that “if a rider who has just won a dressage class dismounts and the horse has a miserable appearance, we can say that the rider is a savage. The work was some kind of sport, and not equestrian art.”
Nuno used to say that to tell if a horse was happy we must look to the attitude of the horse, his ears, his eye, as they will tell the truth in their expression. So how do you detect a happy rider? It certainly isn’t necessarily the one with ribbon, or the good percentage. Sure, you can be a rider who goes everyday and gets it all perfect, and never feels any sense of joy on the horse. But every top rider knows that the movements for 10 lie in that something extra, that team work, the expression, the fun!
We often become preoccupied with how things are feeling and how we are progressing, how perfect our bending is in the half-pass, or how straight our centrelines are, that we overlook the very real possibility, that if we stop enjoying it, maybe our horse will too. Now that doesn’t mean we have to lose sight of our goals, nor does it mean we should just fluff around and not achieve anything. It is more about taking the time to appreciate what we do, and celebrate the little moments, before moving on to the next.
A term that I love in Portugal, is “festa do cavalo” which literally means to celebrate or party for the horse, and shouldn’t we? Shouldn’t we celebrate when our horse is connected with us, when he is listening and trying, and doing the best he can? Perhaps we ought to also remember to celebrate ourselves every once in a while, and realise that nothing comes easy, and that every square halt, every super transition, is a reflection of the work we have put in.
Sometimes, it is a good idea to get on your horse and ask yourself, “am I having fun?”, “is my horse having fun?”, because in the very act of doing this you are setting your mind up to appreciate the joy of riding. When we have a goal, we sometimes lose sight of the bigger picture and forget that whether you want to be at Rio, or you want to win the preliminary at the local show, the bottom line is that you enjoy it.
It sounds easy and of course it is far more complicated when you have sponsors expecting results. However, the most inspiring dressage pairs are enjoying their ride and a horse will always give more to a rider who is enjoying working with him.
After thinking about all this, I came the next day feeling that bit lighter. Just because I’m not the perfect rider, and just because I need to work hard to get better, doesn’t mean I can’t have fun, and we must remind ourselves of this everyday so that our horses know what is important.
If you are not having fun, ask yourself why. What needs to change so you are enjoying it again? Do you need to readjust your goals so that you can relax enough to just be happy?
Never give up on your dream, but never lose sight of what is important. If you are not having fun, you can bet your horse isn’t either!
by Sarah Warne