C came down to join us with her grey gelding. We met by the clump of fir trees on the very crest of the ridge. It was a peculiar day, the sort where the weather seems to be keeping cards up its sleeve. Would grey clouds lighten and break up, or darken bringing rain?
In fact we were treated to another atmospheric day where a light, bright yet diffuse, showed us the Downlands in all their quiet and mystery. We headed along ancient tracks where Celts, Romans and Saxons had preceded us. As usual, despite the splendour of this place, there was hardly anybody about.
The ride itself started slowly with an hour walking, and most of that gently downhill. Back up, we made a long canter up a grassy track. Brena showed me her peculiarity of dropping her head when transitioning into canter. I have learned to give her the freedom to balance herself, knowing also that a contact at this stage is unhelpful.
A little later we cantered again, the grey gelding surging ahead. Brena accelerated after him, impressing me with a palpable sense of power then having to slow up sharply as she neared his back end on the narrow single-file track. That reminded me of riding Brena in Italy when, as the slowest horse, she needed to work hard to keep up. After all that fast work, she seemed a little tired. Well, in this countryside we do have the space for some long canters - good exercise and opportunity to get a horse fit. We'll be up here more next spring.
C commented on how much more relaxed Brena seems compared to seeing her in the spring. I was encouraged by this feedback which I sensed to be true. The big mare is a lot more certain now of what her life means, and I am far more relaxed riding her. She and I are travelling like a team (vegetation snatching excepted!) and this is so rewarding. It's like being off in the mountains with Doru.
That makes me think back to all the horses that I guided with. The stallion Doru and I worked well together. With his predecessor Pintea, who lives just a few miles away now, I did well too. Marcu before that had a kind generous personality which covered for my inexperience. The mare Nelly carried me as her job however we were not a team. In the beginning I treated my horses as a means of transport. I cared about their welfare but did not understand how to work with them Through a succession of horses and growing wisdom I came to understand more. I suppose that Brena is the beneficiary of this, and so am I for being wiser. But it says something about the complexity and richness of horses that a human can take so long to realise what a wonderful partnership is on offer.
Why is it that it takes us so long to get in tune with these beautiful creatures? It takes a lifetime for us, but they have us pegged rather quickly.
Posted by: Shirley | September 26, 2011 at 02:24 PM