Metta ja Purples Guardian-Spirit

Mr. Purple and Metta, our journey in progress:

Mr Purple was not really supposed to start academic riding, but by a fluke (read the other horse was lame) he participated in a clinic at our home stable and on that road we are still. Maybe we as a pair are not the best school example of academic riding or even the academic art of riding since we still jump fences and play around in the dressage arena. But not journeys are or should be the same.

What I have gotten however is, a sense of how subtle aids can be. How well trained (and therefore behaved) a horse can become. How to feel and see nuances in all gates or even when standing still. How to help yourself and your horse to become straighter and more balanced for a healthier life.

What a joy it is to ride with the above aids and the well trained horse. Academic riding has taken me and my horse further than I could imagine schooling-wise and every day is a joy to ride Mr. Purple (here we have taken factors such as pouring rain out of the equation). And I can tell you it did not use to be this way. Surely at times it was awesome but now it is truly awesome all the time.

On a different note, basic ground-work should be mandatory for all horses since it really is beneficiary in so many situations. Not only does it create a certain trust between horse and human but it is highly helpful for a convalescent horse or as a starter-kit for a young horse. I have tried both. It is so much easier (and öööhm safer) to get on a young horse who knows the basic aids from the ground.

Hopefully I will be able to continue my journey with Mr. Purple even further with a happy healthy older horse and start a new journey with a big young gelding named Skeletor. Where it will lead I don't know, but at least we might be able to jump over the fences in our way and continue having fun. Fun in the arena, in the forest or at competitions. ou jee.