I spent some time on Saturday and Sunday watching the Fitch’s Corner Horse Trials in Millbrook, NY.  During the stadium jumping a viewer standing near me said, “That horse is being a jerk.”  Really?  The horse had refused a jump.  The rider was tight, spurs driving into the horse, yanking on the reins, whip flying.  Who is the jerk?  I heard trainers literally snarling like dogs at a horse, riders cursing and whipping, viewers disparaging a horse that refused a jump.  Why is that ok?

Horses are prey animals with an extraordinary sensitivity.  They are not “dishonest” or “bad” or “jerks.”  They are generally responding to some kind of confusion, tension, abuse or fear.  They are often trying to protect themselves from harm.  Harm can be the rider or a jump for which they have not been properly prepared or a noise or movement that startles or frightens them.

Mark Rashid says that instead of MAKING the horse do something, we need to be HELPING the horse do it.  Linda Tellington-Jones exhorts her students to mentally say “Let’s do it”  rather than “Do it” to their horse when they are asking them to do anything.

It is not hard to spot a beautiful, breathing, soft, confluence of rider and horse.  You can see it in their eyes, in the openness and focus of the bodies and the sense of presence and listening.  I did see some of that as well.  In those moments it is as if the rider has let go of everything except the pure joy and harmony of the ride and the love for horse who carries her.