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?)