Yes, our horses are our best teachers. More evidence of this today. Had another lesson with Peggy Brown. This nearly did not come to be. Again, like yesterday, Raudi threw a fit. This time, she did not want to be separated from Tinni. Yesterday she did not want to be separated from Hrimmi. What gives? She got away from me twice, the first time she ran into the arena and planted herself right next to him. This was as a lesson was going on.

Like yesterday, I put her in the round pen and let her race around. And again, I ignored the little s.o.b. Soon enough, she stopped racing around. This reminded me of the time I went to the endurance ride down in the Kenai. Same thing happened.

I did not get to participate in the lesson; rather, the other student in my class got a private lesson. I didn’t get rattled or upset about this, as I would have in the past but instead waited it out. When finally, Raudi settled, I took her out into the arena. This was as Peggy and Jessie were finishing up. I mostly stood quietly as Peggy talked with me about how to improve my verticality. And again, she had Pete move our horse (this time Tinni) further and further away from the arena.

Peggy worked with me on some very basic equitation-style things, one of which was to use my calves instead of my ankles to get her to go. As she explained, in kicking Raudi, I was raising my heels. The alternative, which seemed preferable to me, was to make a circular motion, starting from the home, or leg hanging position. She then worked with me on having my head back – it is, as I now understand it, usually jutting forward, as would a turtle’s neck.

I rode over poles at the walk and trot – this was the right thing to do. And, like yesterday, I put my focus and awareness on Raudi instead of Tinni. Again, she did not veer in his direction.

A metaphor here for dealing with people. Keeping my awareness on me and not obsessing about others is what I most need to do. I get it. Or, I thought I got it. Raudi did get away a second time. Once the lesson was over and we were out of the pen, she bolted in the direction of the arena where she thought Tinni was waiting for her.

I didn’t feel good about this, but I felt good about the fact that she maintained a good work ethic during our abbreviated lesson. Once I am on her she knows what to do. Sometimes she thinks she knows what to do when I am off of her. So she still has things that she is working on teaching me. And I suppose that I still have things that I am working on teaching her. This is the optimistic view of things.

Next: 159. 6/11/17: Anatomy in Motion Day