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Re: [RC] falling off the horse-long - Truman Prevatt

Hi Nancy,

Sally Swift compares riding to skiing in her wonderful book "Centered Riding." The key to good skiing - and minimize the number of face plants is to look ahead several turns down the trail. She also talks about that in riding - in order to be properly balanced.

When I got the Jbird 11 years ago - because he kept dumping my wife with his quick reactions - he dumped me for awhile. Well pain is a good teacher ;-) and I figured out what I was doing wrong. I was worrying more about watching out for where he puts his feet than down the trail. I figured that where he puts his feet is his problem and responsibility. If I were to be "captain of the ship" I needed to act like the captain and look ahead and chart the course. When I started doing that - he stopped spooking as much since I would alert him to what was ahead and if he did I was ready.

I've come off him twice in the last 4 years. One was when we came around a 90 degree turn and there was a turkey in the trail who flew up right in his face. It startled both of us. I was up on a post and had no chance as he spun right out from under me. The other time is when we were galloping hell bent for election up a long hill. Top it and there in the middle of the trail was a inflated innertube. Go figure. But normally I see stuff before he does.

At times when I get tired, I have to remind myself to "look ahead" and stay alert. But I think it's saved me more than once.

Truman

Nancy Sturm wrote:
That's a very interesting observation, Truman - pun intended.  Gabe, who has
so much more fun riding Tali than I ever did, sees everything.  "Oh look
there's a .... " fill in the blank.  He sees bears, deer, a cougar,
rattlesnakes, a spotted fawn, a lost pocket knife, an unspent shell, lost
tack, a dropped whip.  He's forever bailing off to pick up his finds.  It
really makes me wonder at the visual acuity of youth and also just exactly
what it is I am looking at.  The back of my horse's head, perhaps.

Nancy


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Replies
[RC] falling off the horse-long, Elysa Braunstein
Re: [RC] falling off the horse-long, Truman Prevatt
Re: [RC] falling off the horse-long, Nancy Sturm