Hello everybody!
First of all excuse me for my English – I don’t think I am very good at this
Well a little bit about me. I am fifteen old girl living in the Czech Republic. I love horses from a child, the history of me and horses is a little bit long so I won’t describe it here. I have never had my own horse, but nowdays I am looking after two horses which owners don’t have enough time for their horses. So I take care of them, ride them, and so on. One of them is eighteen years old Hucul stallion called Jára, he hasn’t very simple character and often it is a little bit complicated to make understood with him. But I am not going to write here about me and Jára. It is another chapter
I would like to write about the next horse – ten years old gelding, Czech Warmblood called Merlin. He’s a beautiful, tall, white (grey) horse, very kind, with great character. I look after him more than seven months without his owner’s checks (I don’t want to analyse here how it is between me and Merlin’s owner, but to tell the truth I can be with Merlin next two months at the very most and then the owner will come again and I really don’t know how it will be then, I hope I will be able to look after him after it too, but I’m afraid nothing is certain). In the begining I tried getting to know him - I found out he is very kind so I rode him with a halter, without any bit. He answered very well so I sometimes rode him only with a cordeo. In that time I tought that any collection isn’t important. Merlin was happy because he hasn’t good experiences with a bit and I was happy because he was obedient without the bit too. In that time I have thought it is the best to ride a horse without a bridle. I have thought it is the best as for the horse as for the rider. I have thought the true friendship between a man and a horse can be perfect only with as few as possible equipment.
Suddenly, somewhere deep in me I felt that riding without everything (except saddle, of course, because it spread the rider’s weight) maybe wasn’t (and isn’t) the best. But why, why? Yeah, collection! I realized what does collection mean... I realized why is this good and now I think I can say important, too... I realized that I had fallen from the knotty and uncertain horsy way again.
I arised from the ground and tried to start again and better. I started to work with a bridle, with a bit. I thought that Merlin would be able to work collected when I used the bit. I hoped it would be better. It was since two months, I think. And it isn’t better at all. As I wrote, Merlin have bad experiences with a bit – he always turns his tongue upward over it. Always, even without any pressure on the bit. I tried to show him that the bit isn’t so bad, that he can follow it and that it is only a comunication instrument... No, no, no! Everything turned to the hell... Everything went wrong again. Again and again. He isn’t so responsive than he was and I feel he isn’t happy. He isn’t happy at all and I am not happy too! What is that awesome way when even the horse even the rider aren’t happy?!
A new fall from the knotty and uncertain horsy way again. And a new attempt to arise from the ground and start again and better. I had to do that so many times and everytime I put a question: WHAT is better?
Is there any better way to train the horse? Is there any way which is more pleasant as for the rider as for the horse? --- Is this the AND? Have I finally found what I was ever looking for? Or have I found the next shaky path from that I will fall again?
I am confused. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I am enough strong to start again. And if I am,
how should I start? --- I don’t know if I am enough strong to work with Merlin according to the AND, in spite of it totally impressed me. I am not sure if I would do it right, because there is a big pressure on me in the stable – there are only people who find bits as a normal thing. And I don’t know if there’s any point to try it – still and all I have only two months with Merlin, then I should tell his owner what I do with him and why... I am not sure if I will be able to vindicate AND in face of the owner...
At the end of this chaotic text I would like to put a final question:
Is the AND the way that I was ever looking for?Excause me for this crazy text, but simply I must tell it to someone. I can keep it in me no longer.
Thank everyone for any reply.
Ellinor