Creative Minds Are Never Bored

One thing a lot of folks struggle with is feeling unsure of what to do with their horse, or bored in the arena or with their routine. I love the outdoors deeply - and would prefer to be out exploring over an arena any day. But, the conversations we have with our horses are only as boring as we make them.

I have spent quite a bit of time in my years of training trying to make do. For a time, I started all my colts outdoors with no roundpen and no arena. This is by no means ideal, but it is what I had access to. I learned to get creative, to utilize the landscape well - every bush, hill, or flat space had a training purpose for me - i taught half halts up the hill. Circles around the shrubs. Flat spaces for upward transitions or straight lines, first canters up the hill. I learned to look for opportunity everywhere.

Now, I generally have access to a round pen an arena, and so my challenge is to go deeper into conversation - to avoid monotony even in the same 20 meter circles or transitions. Every single stride is a unique part of a conversation, and if I stay tuned in, the dialogue is fascinating. But if I tune out, my horse becomes bored, or tuned out himself.

One of the reasons an ongoing education is so important is so you know "what to do." If you find yourself entering the arena with absolutely no idea what to do outside a few routines you normally practice, this will become extremely to both horse and rider. A good education teaches theory and progression as well as feel - so you know when you enter the arena what you'lre looking for, even if you aren't 100% sure how to achieve it all the time - This is where stuff gets interesting and creativity comes into play! Think, and as your horse responds gather information. How much or how little created that? What could the next steps be like if you changed a little something? What figure could help you achieve the desired effect?

The photo below is from the years I had just a front field with a hill and no arena. Here I'm using the shadows from the fence to maintain alignment, and often used these shadows to ride shoulder in without overbending.

Creative minds are never bored! Think outside the box - notice and compare, stay engaged, and don't tune out and go into routine. Every stride is a unique conversation. Be there, and your horse will be there too.