To work with and be with the horse properly, you must understand that you and the horse are both energy. Energy is just energy. It is good and you and the horse are basically good. Whether the energy in any given situation flows where you want it to flow does not change the nature of the energies. When the mind is aligned properly with the situation, the outcome is certain. The trick, if we call it that, is to place the mind in harmony with the situation. The first step is to see the energy and harmonize with it. It is not personal and the energies that flow all have intelligence. When intelligence is present it naturally seeks intelligence. So it is that two minds, horse and human, are joined. This is the place the aids arise from. The aids are the joining of the energies that are present and then they are directed. Then the aids energize or magnetize to increase or decrease the natural flow. This is called control. In the horses movement there are basically four directions (which can be expanded to eight and two additional directions, upward and downward making ten in all). They are forward, backward, to the left and to the right. (The eight are the directions of the compass) These ten directions exist potentially at any given moment but actually can only be in one direction of eight directions at a time. Upward and downward play are modification of the quality of the basic eight. The actual energy flow is called line of travel and the primary aid is the one which modifies that line. An aligned mind and body does not block energy but by finding the cadence makes timely adjustment which modify the outcome in the amplitude or direction. This is control without opposition to the forces and so resistance is almost impossible. The single aid which achieves this is called the primary aid. Training is the process which acclimates the horse to the skillful means of the rider so that internal disruptions do not occur. Good dressage always works in harmony with the basic energy present and not against it. The educated mind links, feels and releases and if it finds resistance, dances with it until it softens and vanishes. This is the accord of the aids and unity of the seat. These are the basics of dressage. The seat unifies and harmonizes and connects the secondary aids to the primary. The aids encounter and direct the flow with only one aid taking the lead as the primary aid. These are the tools of good dressage.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 14:02:59 +0000
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