I Give You Permission

Today I did a thing, I took my horse for a walk.  As a riding instructor and horse trainer, I frequently try to impart into students and horses both the importance of ground manners and how it is a foundation for everything to come.  Here is a tale of WHY it’s so important, so you and your horse can MUTUALLY enjoy each other’s company.

I just didn’t have it in me to ride Leah in a schooling session.  It was warm, the snow had melted off enough, but the ground was too frozen to get solid riding in anyway.  I really just wanted to chill out.  Leah was chilling in her stall too.  So, I asked her if she wanted to go for a walk.  She seemed interested.  So, on the halter went and off we stepped.  I started meandering around the pasture, checking fence wires as we went, just breathing the air and walking my horse like I would walk with the dog.  Leah was pretty into following me politely and sniffing the air as well.

Bored with the pasture, I opened the bottom gate and stepped out onto the dog path around the property.  I felt my inner child start to bloom, the little kid inside that is amazed at the deer tracks, at how the winter weeds look in their wind-blown patterns.  We walked together.  I noted some downed tree limbs and started to pick them up and pretend I was throwing spears at imaginary targets in the woods.  Leah said I was silly. We went and checked out the stream, the ice on the edge was NOT safe, so we slowly backed away.  We followed a deer path until we got stuck.  Backed up and turned around.  Leah’s soft fluttering breath smelled everything. 

We started up the gravel pit driveway hill and I said, Leah pull me up.  I grabbed her tail and sent her up the path.  She thought that was very interesting and lead me around.  At the top, we got back into our more traditional roles of me leading, her following.  Until lightning struck!  At least that’s what it felt like in my gut. A vole skittered or something I couldn’t see, and she jumped and spooked in place.  I grounded the spook and shocked feeling through my feet, and asked her what did she see?  I couldn’t see anything wrong.  She said never mind there’s nothing scary here.  So, we kept walking to….

The HAY field.  Oh, sweet heaven of tasty grasses…our walk slowed.  I decided to walk in a pattern.  Three steps forward.  Three mouthfuls of grass.  Three steps forward, repeat.  Leah got pretty good at the game; I thought this is great practice for staying tanked up on an endurance ride!  Grab and go baby!

We circled mindfully around the hay field and started around the other horse’s paddocks by the road.  Leap! Snort!  Boomer decided that Leah on the wrong side of the pasture fence was a BIG DEAL.  I politely asked her not to play, she said okay, he's a silly goose anyway.  Along the road frontage we went, waving at the cars going 70 mph.  (We live on a fast stretch of road) As I walked along this part of the fence, Leah figured out the safe place behind me. 

Onward to the field margin ditch!  It was still filled with snow.  I know it’s a ditch but it was disguised, and of course it’s great fun to jump over it!  So, we did!  I wove back and forth over the little trench hopping over, just like a little kid does.  It felt so nice to play.  Leah thought the same and hopped with me!  Then we came to an icy puddle stretch of ground.  I slowed way down, testing each step through this patch.  I had no desire to slip today!  Leah took this pause to drink the icy cold melt water off the top.  She said it’s SOOO good this fresh! We reached the last section of woods!  In and around the grapevine and trees, over some logs and homeward bound!  We reentered the pasture and walked back to the barn.  I felt overwhelming satisfaction.  Leah said that was entertaining in a peaceful way. 

This whole exercise and experience was about giving permission.  I gave myself permission to not have an agenda.  We had no need to fit a perceived image of correct.  We simply traveled a path together in safety.  I saw the world a little through her eyes.  She gave me permission to step into her world.  My inner child is quite satisfied.  Isn’t that what we all crave in the end?  Leah had an enriching adventure with me furthering our ability to work and live and play together, and she knew I was listening to her as well.

I bet you thought this article was going to be a lecture about good groundwork with your horse.  If you read between the lines, it is.  But moreover, I just wanted folks to understand that you have permission to explore between those lines once you have a solid SAFE framework to operate from. A safe mental framework is as important as physical movements.

I give you permission to explore your own framework in your partnership…

Leah is saying your supposed to be front…