january 28: day 23

i really enjoyed the time i got to learn with trinket and craig yesterday. we
talked about longing being an extension of the work in hand, and i got to
practice with trinket, and then again with mason today. there are so many pieces
to be intentional about and because it's new i notice myself neglecting other
pieces when i'm focusing in on one aspect... i know pulling the bigger picture
together will come with time. so far my focus has been on establishing and
maintaining good contact through the rope, and making sure to mimic the same
rein aids in the saddle, just at a greater distance from the horse. i need to
trust that they work instead of trying to make my gestures bigger. i think
maybe, unintentionally, my brain is thinking that i should make my aids into a
grander gesture than they need to be (kind of like speaking louder and more
drawn out when someone can't hear you?)... now that i notice this happening i am
at least trying to be intentional about keeping my cues gentle, small, concise.
i'm really seeing how it isn't about just recognizing how to do the correct
things, it's also about learning how to recognize when you're doing the wrong
(or ineffective) thing.

today with mason i spent time trying to notice the feeling i was getting from
the horse through the contact on the rope, just noticing the give and take what
it felt like. i notice that i tend to be always saying something from my end of
the rope and that i may need to quiet down. i'm not really sure what to do in
the times in between giving cues. in other words, how do i make sure i'm not
constantly jabbering at the horse through my contact, but giving him time to
respond appropriately, and recognizing when he does?