Moments of Brilliance

Horseback riding is like math. The more you learn, the more you realize you that you didn’t know as much as you thought you did. The learning comes in layers as you break down a big concept into smaller parts until all the simple pieces start to make sense in the context of the whole.

Ransom and I are somewhere in the middle of this muddle of knowledge. We’re revisiting the basics armed with additional education, and somehow it’s hard all over again. For example, trotting – not complicated, right? Ransom and I had a half hour conversation about trotting rhythm today. His manual transmission lurched from slow to spurts of speed. Off the circle and onto the straightaway – speed up. Half halt. No you can't stick your nose out. Pick up the reins to yield to the bit – diversionary tactic: speed up. Hold, hold, hold, release. Leg pressure applied to balance his shoulder in the corner – speed up. Half halt. Slow down. Finally a soft, cadenced feel…for two strides.

Each day there is a moment of brilliance, and I’m impatient to string those moments together into a superhorse. Some days I’m overwhelmed by how far we have to go. I have to keep reminding myself that it doesn’t happen overnight.