Where Is My Caballo Bonito?

Accidental sagacity has paid me another recent visit and none too soon. Don Pecos and I have been working all summer to correct some issues. He wants to counter bend to the left all the time. He has been having trouble with consistency in both stride and cadence. This horse is in supreme condition, is an awesome athlete.

The problem, I knew, must be with me.

I work extremely diligently to allow the horse to be brilliant. I do everything in my power to ensure that I drive with my whole body. Still, I was doing something wrong and engaged the wonderful Theresa Burns for help. "Please watch us and see if you can see what I'm doing wrong," I told her. She watched and watched and watched.

"I can't see anything, Michelle," she said. "There are moments of perfection, but I do see the inconsistency you are talking about more often." Confirmed in my theory that it must be me, I asked her to drive Don Pecos.

Theresa is the softest, gentlest, sweetest whip I've ever known. Don Pecos loves her and responds well to her hands. He relaxes and becomes more consistent, but not the gravity defying masterpiece of equine idol that he can be. She drove, I studied.

"There is such a fine line between holding him too tightly and throwing him away," she said. "I don't know what else to tell you."

I got back on the box seat. "Where is my caballo bonito?" I asked him. "I know you are in there." I took up the reins, asked him to collect and then asked him to stay collected by using a firmer hold on the lines and added more strength throughout my entire body.

"OOOOO, yes, like that!" Theresa exclaimed. There was my horse. Burnished copper gold coat covered sinew and grace, dancing in the sunlight. There was Don Pecos.

The morale of the story: I wanted to be soft, gentle and sweet like Theresa, but what Don Pecos interpreted was a passive partner. When I took more responsibility by increasing my participation, we became in sync.

"I was wondering where you were, bella senora." Don Pecos said. "I knew you were in there. Somewhere."

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.