What’s Holding You Back?
We’re all human. Finding an excuse for why things didn’t turn out the way we wanted is natural. I’ve had many horses in my life and have learned a thing or two along the way. I’ve also been through a lot, and I am human too. Now, due to various circumstances, I only have two horses left. When horses are used to being in a herd, they rely on each other. I only have a paddock, which means if I ride one, the other gets upset and runs back and forth, affecting the one I’m riding, making it tense as well. Yes, it’s an excuse for not riding. You might think, “Can’t you take the other one as a lead horse?” (which I would have said myself). I’m almost always alone here, with no one to help if something happens, and the one I’m not riding is 18 years old and very stubborn. I see myself hanging on a string between the two horses. It’s also worth mentioning that the mare I have hasn’t been ridden since she was 4, as she has been a broodmare. She’s very sweet and well-handled, but it takes a long time to teach her anything (another excuse, as I have a lot to do).
I have a friend who loves horses but isn’t a very experienced rider, who wished to ride the mare, which could solve the problem. I would also have a riding companion. I knew this would mean a lot of work since we had to start from scratch with the mare, but why not? The problem is that I also have to teach my friend everything, like how to bridle, how to mount, and how to ride a horse that isn’t used to being ridden. So we started a bit with the bridle (we use a bitless bridle since she’s had dental issues), which she also needed to get used to, and now we’ve done a little bit of walking, bareback. I ride first, and the mare follows. She’s the type who stops when there are things she doesn’t understand, so we take it slow 🙂
We have now ridden a few times and are starting to think about putting a saddle on her and have tried one that might fit (I have plenty lying around from all the horses I’ve had), and she took that well too. My friend has been coming early in the morning because it’s very hot here, and now there’s yet another problem. The last time we were going to ride, there was an invasion of horseflies, and my horse went crazy. I understand him because it can’t be fun to be bitten by those, and there were many! The mare just stood still and refused to move. Now we’re going to try in the evening instead to see if there are fewer horseflies then.
In situations like these, it’s easy to give up. It becomes too troublesome to ride, and our brain tells us it’s not worth it. But what does the heart say? I’ve been riding all my life and don’t intend to stop now. You have to tell the universe that it has chosen the wrong person to irritate and that I will never give up 🙂
What’s holding you back?
