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With riders ranging in age from eleven years to fifty-something, there was an air of excitement and anticipation that this would be a day of both learning and fun. We had the perfect setting and facility at Loch Moy, and the horses were very useful types, who were well-matched to their riders, so we were all in for a fun day.
(Left: Peggy Pariso instructing students at Loch Moy.)
As the classes progressed, everyone began to relax and gain confidence, from the basics of flatwork with Peggy Pariso, to their application in simple jumping gymnastics with Joyce D’Aquila. In the afternoon, it was out to the cross country course with Joyce to apply the same principles of forward, straight, and balanced to the specific challenges there.
(Right: Joyce D’Aquila explaining cross-country fundamentals.)
The emphasis throughout the day, beyond technique, was not only the importance, but the necessity of partnership between horse and rider. Partnership can only be established by experience and mileage together. In the process of gaining that experience and mileage, then TRUST can be built, which is essential. More specifically, the horse has to be able to trust that the rider will not only do the RIDER’S job of getting the horse properly to the fence, but also, then trust the horse to do the HORSE’S job of jumping the fence. If the rider cannot trust the horseto do the job safely and correctly, then they should not be out there. Even if it’s just not working on a particular day, for whatever reason, then the rider owes it to the horse (and to him or herself), to pull up. We must keep it fun for them, too. Most important of all is that our horses never be our victims, and always be our heroes.
Walking back from the cross country after a day well-spent, the afternoon sun caught a hint of fall color in the tree line, but also in the cheeks of the last group of riders who were feeling the confidence, satisfaction, and just plain fun of being that much closer in partnership with their horses … just as it always should be.
(Left: Joyce D’Aquila teaching fundamentals at the clinic.)
