Why is this distinction so hard?

 Learning to ride is like learning to walk, or ride a unicycle, or how to walk on stilts.
Because teaching a toddler to walk, learning to ride a unicycle, or learning to walk on stilts ...... says NOTHING about controlling the toddler's feet, unicycle, or stilts.

 It says nothing about controlling/teaching/training the other's steps. Learning to ride is nothing like learning to drive a car.
Why all the discussion about liberty, "natural", "ride with your mind", bitless, "straightness,.......... (the list goes on and on and on) riding?
Absolutely none of those discussions gives any insight into how to RIDE!

 sensory awareness and horse riding - one in the same!



  "Learning to RIDE" is learning how a horse moves (what it means to be a horse) and keeping my body caught up and in balance with that movement so as to do "no harm" (say the wrong thing with my "body language")




It is interesting that we "measure" our accomplishments in riding by what we get the horse to do! That is how riding lessons go. Horse shows and sport. Admired as a great horseman by what you can get a horse to do.
Even with my description of first learning the language of the horse our feedback is what the horse does in response.. There really is no "proof" of our understanding and seeing the horse unless we witness certain responses from the horse. There are things the horse does that assures us that they have met a "hearing" human.
THIS is where dressage begins. This is the point where we can help the horse with his posture to carry us without doing harm to their bodies.
This is where I start (and end sometimes) each ride. I have to first and foremost show the horse (experiential) what is possible. What is possible with a "hearing" rider. Even a hearing rider on the ground. When I have "audience" ....... then the dressage training pyramid begins. .................. with relaxation and rhythm. Nothing else is done without that.

 So many of us have been attracted to horses since birth and the only way to connect that attraction is to RIDE them! (at least in the 1970's) I think the same is even more true now. I was fortunate. I was set up for the "sensory awareness" and I did not have the "goals" of being the 'best' at anything or even aware of competing in any sport. From that perspective I could learn. :) Learn to communicate.
Yet - a "teacher" is necessary. Once you learn the language (connected through the senses) you need something to talk about. :) You need to know what to "say" to the horse.
The horse reconnects us to our sensory selves - it is important that we do not dwell there. It is important that we (as "aware" thinking humans) integrate the two. Sensory awareness and awareness (enlightenment?)

Why?

Why would anyone sign up for a riding lesson, pay money for an hour of instruction, that looked like this?

recognition learning

MY experience is - the only training going on IS the language of very very few words. Such as "go". Everything else is boundaries and synchronicity. Yes, there is a 'learning curve' in the beginning. The horse needs to go forward ...... even one step - not to avoid the unpleasant - but to start the conversation. "It's not what you do, but what you do after what you did" The 'response' to the first step IS the 'reward'. While riding that 'looks like' recognition. When the horse takes the first steps in walk - the rider matches, reflects, keeps caught up with each step so that the horse literally recognizes himself (his walk) in the rider. Even the human legs hanging on his sides reflect this synchronicity. To move up to trot - the rider "stops" riding the walk and "says" - "go" and immediately reflects the movement of the trot ........ and so on and so on. It takes no more effort (or cue) to turn a horse than it does to turn your own two feet. I'm not sure when we turned communication (and dance) into such a "subject/object" thing. It isn't even airy-fairy ..... it is very hard work and takes a very long time for the HUMAN to learn this. The horse learning is minimal - the physical gymnastic it quite impressive - hard work. I worked (and learned) hard - so did my horses - but they never did it alone and there never did it on command or to avoid ........ anything "worse".
This is a statement about my experience and not a criticism of yours .......... except maybe ALL the emperor's have new clothes.


 http://horse-charming.com/2015/07/09/the-emperors-new-clothes/

"too" and "boundaries"

PLEASE MIND AND HONOR YOUR BOUNDARIES BY MINDING AND HONORING THE OTHER.
“Too” and "Boundaries"
What do the word “too” and “boundaries” have in common?
Answer; They are both inclusive and negative (exclusive) depending on the use and the understanding of the word.
When judging mares and stallions at the Hanoverian inspections, my mentor pointed out that a walk could be "too" big and therefore "tip" into TOO much lateral sway and no diagonal transfer through the back at the withers. That's when I learned that the word TOO was a "no" (negative) word.
“Too” means “as well as” and “also”. Which is inclusive. It can also mean ”over-the-top”. Beyond desirable into the bad. The tipping point over the edge.
“ too much …”
“ too many ….”
“ too soon”
“ too late”
“ too hot”
“ too cold” ……… you get the drift.
All of the examples above change the adjective to a negative. No matter the numbers/measurement it is not a negative (bad thing) until the word “too” comes in.
On the other side - “too” can be inclusive as well. Meaning “also”.
“I’m coming too”
“I feel it too”
“Me too”
Inclusion is a positive - like the plus sign (+) adding things together. Connecting.
…….. Inclusive until it crosses the line into the negative. The minus sign (-). Exclusion.
The word and concept (understanding) of the word “boundary” has the same characteristics.
Many people see (understand) boundaries as barriers. Limits. Edges. In that context it feels negative - like a stop sign. A wall. Exclusive.
I use the word “boundary” a lot, but not in that context. I use the word “boundaries” to describe INCLUSION. Because I understand that boundaries are how we connect. A boundary is not the protection of “self” but the discovery of “other”.
Boundaries are inclusive because they create (define?) the space between the manifested and the un-manifested. We simply would not exist, or have reason to exist, without that space between. We would not have the experience of being alive, would not have the experience of connecting to an other without the space between our “selves” and everything else.
We are created (manifested) for the sole purpose to experience ……. the other. smile emoticon
Every sentient being wants to be seen and connect to other sentient beings.
That’s all - end of story.

Your boundaries can be both TOO rigid and TOO porous if you do not see/acknowledge/honor the OTHER. The "not seeing" of the other tips the boundary into the "No" - negative.
See to be seen
Hear to be heard
Trust to be trusted
Love to be loved
Respect to be respected
Please mind and honor your boundaries by minding and honoring the other.

basics - joke

You might be missing the basics if:
       - you turn your horse with the inside rein
       - you train your horse to 'lower his head'
       - you teach your horse his canter leads
       - you practice "patterns/movements" until he gets it right
       - you think you can connect a horse with no contact
       - you give your horse rhythm
       - you ride 'front to back'..... aka the head
       - you move any of your horse's body parts "for" him
       - you put your horse in a 'frame'

..... do not be ashamed if your were not taught the basics - 99% of riders today were never taught the basics. Please do not label me as a kook or as being judgmental just because I know the basics.
.... more importantly - I 'discern' what is not ..... the basics.

TTouch

I must admit - when I first saw this - I was intrigued. Cautiously. Something did not feel right.
Then I understood! To use this as anything more than a 'self hug' is ........ not helpful. Not a 'hug in motion'.
I do not want to sound critical of the TTouch. TTouch is a clear, kind "system" that the 'unaware' can practice to become more aware.
This is a cozy hug. The short coming of the body wrap is - it does not include the whole horse. More specifically the whole movement. The entire 'step'. Hindleg-foreleg-head. It is the WHOLE stride that makes it beautiful! The head and neck is an EQUAL part of every step of the ...... horizontal horse.
Our goal as 'forward riders' (on the ground and in the 'saddle') is to complete every stride. Alllll the way from the hind leg - through(!) the supple relaxed back - through(!) the foreleg - and out the forehead!!!!!
...... that "freedom" and "self-carriage" part. And FORWARD.