I really enjoy this time of year. The snow has mostly melted off, other than the last of the major drifts. The turning of the clocks (though the spring forward is a bit of a butt kicker) has added extra daylight to the evenings. This time of year brings back, for me, the ability to saddle up a horse after work and get some riding time in before dinner. Granted, not all evenings will be conducive to riding. It is, after all, still only March.

I greatly enjoy getting back to riding. If you're at all like me, the horses have had quite a long string of days off. The winter has been for them, "break time." I do know that they have enjoyed their time away from a routine exercise program. Their days have been filled with lots of eating, napping in the sun, and playfully biting each other's faces. I have lately been observing from their behavior that they are beginning to get a little bit bored and are ready to get back to work. That behavior can be either a blessing or a curse.

These days I consider a horses extra energy and willingness to "get out" to be a real blessing. I say these days because there was a time when getting back in the saddle came with more than a little feeling of dread. I'd feel some nervousness that my horses would be more apt to take off. Grabbing hold of the bit and running with no regard for what got in their way. Or maybe they would be prone to want to kick out, jump sideways, buck and fart. All I knew was that I had better cinch my hat down tight and be prepared to hang on.

Now I am excited to get up in the saddle on a fresh horse. It gives me the ability to see just how much has carried over from the last year. I do know that not everything will be exactly as I left it in the fall. Time spent previously building consistently light movements has insured that this spring all the pieces will still be there. Granted, there may be some fine tuning here and there. But, overall most of the previous understanding should carry over.

I welcome Spring's first few rides because both the horses and I are fresh. I have the opportunity to let go of old habits and behaviors that did not serve me well in the past. And I'm able to observe situations from a new place and viewpoint. This courtesy needs to be offered up to my horse as well. After all they have had time on their own to think, and learn. Most horses, mentally, won't be in the same place as in the fall. They, just like us, will have grown some.

I often have to remind myself to give my horses a chance to think. It seems to be that when I try to cram lessons down their throats by repetition and force, things are slow to take shape. High expectations and demanding that they perform upper level moves early in the riding season is not productive. I have found it helpful to start with the basics. I usually warm up with exercises that I know we both will succeed at. After I feel that we have got a few things going correctly, with smoothness and ease, I begin to bump up the difficulty a little. This is an important element for both of us. As we each gain confidence together. The key is to make these first few rides as fun for the horses as they are for myself. If I don't take my time and build up to more advanced movements we could both become soured and end up in a big fight. The result of that is not one that I like to repeat. I have, in the past, done just that. It seems to take the try right out of the horse. Not to mention that it is a sure way to ruin an otherwise lovely evening.

At the beginning of the season I have found it helpful to keep the rides a little more on the short side. This time of year, especially, it is all about quality over quantity. I find it important to include in my rides plenty of chances to sit quietly as we both reacquaint ourselves with each other. Our horses need to want to be there as much as we do. Early in the season like this, horses seem to have a tendency to want to focus towards their horse pals more than the human. This is a prime opportunity to change that mindset. Shorter rides are not only good mentally for the horse but allow us to build up endurance as our horses shed their winter fur. Not overworking the horse or adding too much stress will leave them happy to want to go out and perform again another day.

The reason most of us have horses is for enjoyment. It does well to consistently remind ourselves of that. As spring comes on and we are able to ride more and more, remember to take it slow. The fastest way to get something accomplished with a horse is to not be in a hurry. There are many good days ahead of us. Have fun, see how much carries over from last year. And let your horses surprise you with how much they have learned in their "off time."

Keep smiling,

Eric

Easton Horsemanship