During my lesson with Remy Sandy encouraged me to "really let him go forward". She also reminded me that it was important to give the aids by impulses and then let Remy alone when he responds. If he doesn't react, then I have to exaggerate the impulse. A good image is thinking of pony club kids, how they just kick and get on with it. Of course, it needs to be more precise: 'Kick' and then let go (and don't nag).
Well, 'kicking and letting go' is easy to do for the young riders, a bit different for the adults that have "what if" scenarios in their heads. Sandy and I got to talk about young horse training and middle aged women... I remember a phrase I heard a while back "That's why God gave us teenagers", meaning put the spry young riders on the young horses and let them work it out. Some of my friends are exactly thinking that, dicey situations that are normal when dealing with young horses as well as the related occasional 'involuntary dismounts' are harder to overcome when one gets older.
I was joking that for me, Remy is my 'Fountain of Youth'. Riding Remy reminds me of my carefree riding days. I haven't had those since I had to retire Crissy years ago. This feeling of pure joy is hard to explain. Of course, I love Saumur with all my heart. He is a beautiful but tortured soul, and riding him has rarely been relaxing. It is much better now, but still, sometimes his past rears its ugly head.
Remy, on the other hand, is a blank slate, and yes, I fully expect him to do the young horse stuff and have moments of being a 'rebel without a cause'. Thankfully, though, he won't have old demons creeping up that will make him fear for his life. In a way Remy helps Saumur, not only by having me work on my basics again, but mainly by giving me this feeling of joy I can pass on to Saumur.
So, for me, my youngster is my 'Fountain of Youth' - and should I hit the ground I pretend to be a teenager, brushing myself off, hop on his back and kick on!
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