Un-Natural Horsemanship

In addition to Chiara Poscente's lovely filly, Zak will be picking up these 2 fabulous prospects: 4yo Sorrel Gelding is 16h from Clan Alpine HMA (same as Chiara's pick) and the 3yo Black Mare is 15.3h from Antelope HMA. This auction had an exceptionally large number of big, stout, beautiful mustangs and we were lucky enough to grab our absolute favorites!

Reintroducing leg and rein contact to both sides of the body at once- a big deal for this boy. I really like these as comparison photos highlighting:

“Tension in the jaw = tension in the back. Tension in the back = tension in the jaw.”

The top two photos were taken near the beginning of the ride and I can see subtle but clear signs of this tension. His muzzle is pinched with flared nostrils, strain in the jaw and a worried look in his eye. I can see the signal/energy getting stuck at C3 with restricted ROM in the front limbs. He appears (and feels) to be holding himself back from the contact with his psoas, destabilizing his pelvis so we are not travelling on two tracks and the flight path of the hind limbs is compromised, seen in disunited diagonal pairs. The traffic jams rippling through his body are, imo, all legitimate and fair responses to my request of “can you carry me confidently forward in the bridle”. Until we change his relationship to contact, his answer is rightfully, “No”. And because he’s brilliant and bold and beautiful inside and out and has known tremendous love, the second part of his response is, “But I’ll try”.

The bottom two photos were taken near the end of our ride and demonstrate subtle but lovely changes- his face has softened, with his expression changing from concern to curiosity to confidence. He has relaxed the sympathetic bracing in his neck, allowing his shoulders to open and his sternum to lift. He has begun to release holding in the lumbo sacral junction and we are on two tracks with the diagonal pairs becoming united. We may have gotten a little loosey goosey but we were stoked about it! And this is what it’s all about- we’re just out here having a good time 💫

PS- my secret is that I tell him that even though he sometimes feels like riding a shopping cart with a missing wheel down a steep hill, he is a Magnificent Beast who also sometimes feels like galloping the great Bucephalus across the Persian plateau 🦄

HRH Handsome Pants, before and after our ride today 🦄💫

I absolutely adore my Franklin Balls! 10/10 recommend for riders of all levels and disciplines. These are the two sets that I like to use most:

I have found that riders who tend to an anterior (forward) pelvic tilt (often accompanied by pinched knees, hollow back and tight wrists and elbows), sitting on the softer balls or peanut can help to open their hip angle and connect to their seat. The proprioceptive feedback supported by the balls encourages a tight rider to ground and soften and allow themselves to be moved by the motion of the horse.

For those who tend to a posterior (backward) pelvic tilt (often accompanied by a collapsed core, rounded back and forward head position), sitting on the harder balls or peanut can help the rider to close their hip angle and connect to their breath + core. The proprioceptive feedback through the balls encourages a loose rider to come into alignment and integrity through engagement, finding stability with the horse’s movement.

I stick these handy dandy balls under thighs, arms and seat bones primarily at the halt, walk and sitting trot. For myself, I like to bring them out once a month or so, whenever the feeling takes me and am always glad when I do!

Making Friends 💕 honorthehorse Harmonized Horsemanship