photo by Hoofclix.com
Tales of Taco the Wonder Horse and his ammy rider on their way to a Training Three Day

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Watching Paint Dry

Although there can be thrilling, transformative moments, teaching and learning can be like watching paint dry.  Every day brings practice and incremental improvement.  I feel that I am learning every day from Taco and Amy, but it is a slow process that takes place over time.

I had a good jumping lesson this week.  Earlier in the week I did a short jump school on my own, practicing a figure 8 over a slightly narrow, small vertical and getting pretty good at influencing which lead we landed on. 



In my lesson, we started with that vertical and then added a course, turning either left or right on a bending line and continuing on.  I was pleased that I kept thinking throughout, adjusting what I needed to in the moment.  I felt like an active partner for Taco.  The difference, Amy thinks, is probably my short jump schools on my own. I don't need to do much in those sessions to get a positive results in lessons.


Message from Taco:
I'm hungry!

2 comments:

LC-B said...

I think you can also give some credit to the fact you and Taco have been working together long enough so that you've developed "muscle memory" for how he feels moving...you can now operate more intuitively rather than having to focus on what Taco's going to do and concentrate on you...lovely, lovely situation.

LC-B said...

I also LOVE watching Cre and Hazel in action...gotta get Arlo and Abby into the scenario but do we have a camera that can capture that much energy? ha!