Trinity Ranch - Dancer

Where I'm at: On the Couch in the living room
Weather: Clear 64 degrees
Sounds/Sights: Nothing out of the ordinary
Mood: Excited, Happy

Today I had my first horsemanship lesson at Trinity Ranch. It was awesome!! I forgot how much I love to ride horses and how comfortable and calming they make me feel. I have not been on a horse for over 20 years!! My horse for the day was Dancer. She's a beautiful sable color. She has some Tennessee Walker in her so her coat has come curl and she walks, trots so smoothly.

The first thing I did was groom her. It's important to groom a horse before you saddle up. It's allows the rider to check out the horse for any injuries or ailments, smooths her coat so nothing will irritate her once the saddle is on, and checks her hooves for rocks, soreness, etc. in her feet. It's also a great bonding time between the horse and rider. Dancer is very gentle old mare who's had 9 births! She's still got a lot of spunk left in her, and tested me right away on who was going to be boss. Horses lean on you - and if they can get you to move your feet before you get them to move their feet - they've won the battle and start to lose respect for you. A few times, I had to put my weight in on her, and push her back or in a different direction - just so she knew that I knew what I was doing. (at least a little bit!<:)

I rode her on a bare back saddle - no horn and no stirrups. My trainer wants me to learn how to direct a horse with subtle body movements and light pressures and releases. I rode around the corral practicing the different techniques. It's really amazing how God made these creatures to want to work with mankind. They are very sensitive to touch and how your body moves when they move, how you sit on their backs, how you body moves when you want to turn left or right - they do not need sharp, harsh pulls, tugs or kicks - light pressure, then release when they are doing what you ask. It truly was amazing! We then took her out of the corral and on a small trail up a hill. My trainer let me take her all the way up to the dead end without being near by and told me to get to the top. Make her stop, turn her around, make her stop again, and then when I was ready to bring her back down to come down. And I did it - without any problems. Even when her dog came by nipping at Dancer (Mari is the dog's name - a German shepherd - and one day she's going to get kicked between the eyes!<:)

After our short trail ride, we came back and I gave dancer a treat in a bucket - no feeding the horses by hand (that made me a little sad), but they become a nuisance and are always nipping at your hands wanting food, so that's a no no. Then I groomed her again, and we led her back to her pen.

My trainer said I did very well and could tell I was comfortable on the horse. She asked me if I would want to go trail riding next time. (Of course, I would!) She said she could tell I enjoyed myself because I was grinning from ear to ear.<: She will saddle up with me and we'll get the horses to trot and run a little bit. I feel like I'm in heaven! It was the most awesome day I've had in a long time! I can't wait for next Saturday!

Today, as I listened to instructions from my trainer, and learned more about the horses psychology - I realized how much we can learn from them, and how applicable these techniques are when relating to each other. Horses really want a leader, but they will test you to see if you are worth following. Subtle pressure and release techniques work so much better than constant brute force. They can read body language and sense when you are upset, nervous, afraid, confident or sure - and their behavior directly relates to yours. Horses somehow connect to your soul - at least they do to mine. They do not automatically trust, you have to earn it and build on it. But once it's there, a horse will do just about anything for those who are trustworthy.

Psalm 22:8 "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him"
Psalm 28:7 "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song."
Psalm 56:3 "When I am afraid, I will trust in you."
Psalm 56:11 "...in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

And the little stirrings of a long ago dream I had as a little girl are being awakened inside of me. Some way, You God, will use this love I have for horses all for Your glory. And even though I have been like a horse - spooked, uneasy with new things, always on the verge of running away - You, God, have proven to be trustworthy.