When I am feeling a bit discouraged during those seemingly endless stretches of time between our (mostly) weekly riding lessons, I take heart from quotes like the ones below (excerpts from an article regarding Mark Rashid for U.K. Magazine written by Kathleen Lindley).
“The best tool in the world for working with horses is us, our body and mind, and we have it with us 24 hours a day to practice with. Most of us spend a relatively short period of time every day with our horses, but we still have hours and hours in which to practice our horsemanship. How we live our life is how we’ll work with our horse. If we live our lives in turmoil, hurry and frustration, then we’re likely to find those things present when we work with our horses. If, rather, we live our lives deliberately, consciously and in a centered way, we’ll find our horse work reflects that as well.”
Conversely, after spending even a brief amount of time around a horse, I notice a change in my state of being. My step has an unaccustomed weight and my breathing more of a quiet depth. I am more attuned to the subtleties of an interaction. Sometimes I’m sporting an ear-to-ear grin which subsides to a subtle smile. When I find myself back in the city, the memory of my last ride can bring some of this state back to me, causing me to slow down and be more present, and often expanding my vision and awareness as I remember to use soft eyes or allow more fullness in breathing.
“For Rashid, horsemanship is a way of life and a way to be. The best place to practice horsemanship, he says, is outside the arena, while driving or at work or with one’s children. We can practice being soft, breathing, awareness and patience anywhere, and then simply bring them to our horsemanship instead of trying to summon those things when we’re with our horse without practice.”
Mark Rashid discovered aikido after many years of experience with horses. A gifted storyteller, his books are all instructive and inspirational and one of them, Horsemanship Through Life, draws direct parallels between aspects of aikido training and riding horses.
Above, once again we see Calvin, the horse I found so special at the Centered Riding Instructors’ clinic in North Carolina last autumn. Auditing the clinic was a teacher of natural horsemanship, who spent quite a bit of time working what I considered “magic” on Calvin, although he did very little which I could actually see. He would hold Calvin’s rapt attention while often seeming to feign disinterest. Their connection was very palpable, if not easily described. Something about his way of being present.
1 comment:
I think that I should start by complementing your web site. It is aesthetic - I love the colors and the lay out. The photos are outstanding and always in sync with your expose. In fact the words in sync, harmonious, centered come to my mind to describe your site.
I know that you are an accomplished musician and can sense it in your writing. It has a lot of rhythm and is perfectly composed. Each time I visit your web site, I have the feeling to open a window to a peaceful world and almost can hear the music!
I did not have a favorite piece, so far I liked them all and learnt something from each of them…but, I must say that I particularly like Being there. Mark Rashid‘s message is so true and his skills are fascinating.
I also am trying to apply the methods that he describes (also known in riding as centering) to other aspects of my life. It works most of the time and hopefully I will get to the point when it works all he time.
Helene
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