(“Place a portion of your mind in an imaginary bubble.”)

Have you noticed? The themes I blog about tend to repeat themselves repeat themselves. You’ve probably heard the dictum that all teachers are advised to follow: “Tell your students what you’re going to teach them. Then teach it to them. Then tell them what you taught them.” I don’t mean to imply that I think my students are deficient or inattentive. But face it—the mental and physical issues we encounter when we train and even more so when we compete can be simply overwhelming. These are themes which you just have to revisit again and again.

It’s the same with your horse. That you’ve “said” something doesn’t mean he has heard it, much less understood it. And that doesn’t begin to include whether he finds your message worthy of the correct response! “One and Done” is not the way of a horse.

Recently I implored one rider to “Think less and Ride more!” For riders whose overactive minds paralyze their bodies, this is sound advice. And to me it doesn’t contradict a seemingly opposite observation: A good rider must introspect and be self-aware. If multitasking is not your strong suit, save the self-analysis for your video review of a ride or a rehash over a bottle of Three Buck Chuck.
Many experienced riders can do better than this. Years ago I learned to place a portion of my mind in an imaginary bubble that I direct to float above and behind me as I ride, omnisciently observing—there to catch me when I lead myself astray.

Am I depending too much on my strength? The eyes above will discern. Am I supporting the horse too much with my hands? Am I always “trying more of one aid” than considering I can moderate another with a similar result? Am I stuck in “legs and hands” and underutilizing more subtle aids? If my horse is in balance, do I trust him, or do I interfere and cause him to lose it? Am I riding my horse “in the moment” or being drawn into riding preconceptions and the horse’s past history? There’s a long list my eyes in the bubble watch out for!

Your list may be entirely different from mine. The point is: Know yourself and have a list. If you can be aware of your tendencies and fall-back solutions in real time, that’s great. If you have to identify them in retrospect, you’ll still be better off for your next ride.