Easy Riding

Today I try easy riding. Just for comparison.

The difference between hard riding and easy riding is that in easy riding I try to give the horse fewer corrections. I still correct, but I give the horse a lot more freedom. A lot more freedom of rein, a lot more freedom in how fast or slow he walks. A lot more freedom to make a mistake.

He still ends up sweaty at the end, though not as much. And I definitely feel like it's an easier ride. However, when I dismount, he is no longer keen to follow me around. When I open the gate out of the arena, he takes a bit of prodding before he will swing around, and he snaps at me a couple of times with his teeth as I take the saddle off. He appears to have little respect for me.

So what is correct? The hard riding? Or the easy riding?

I know that Anna (my coach) would say that the "hard riding" is correct. The easy riding feels more Pat Parelli style. But of course Pat would say that the horse is bored and that I need to build some imagination.

And I am stuck in the middle. Because I am looking for that partnership with the horse. Hard riding makes the horse respect me, there's no doubt about it. But I feel like I just about have to carry the horse. Whereas easy riding feels nice, but of course the horse doesn't seem to respect me.

I don't really care what the right answer is. I just wish I had the time to work all this out for myself.