March
Spring is here – though we’re still waiting for the deluge that El Nino was supposed to bring. No such luck, and while it’s made working horses a little easier, we’re going to be pretty dry and hot this summer. And we have a lot of work to do to get ready for our national competition later this year in Nampa ID. How long does it take to create a beautiful leg yield or an effortless lead change? As long as it takes. “I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” ~Confucius …. And ‘doing’ means a lot of practice! We practice doing it the wrong way and aren’t happy with the results, so we get advice and coaching (and sometimes a new saddle!) and go at it again. We experiment with adjusting our aids and try a technique that we’ve heard of. And we practice some more. Then we actually get that movement just the way we wanted – once – but then can’t repeat it consistently. But we’re getting closer and patience is rewarded with progress. That’s what these spring days are for. Progress…not perfection!
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