New Ways

Shakertown Morning_6x9"_available_$225

After 12 hours, give or take, of watching riders learning to ride and train their horses, I feel like I'm starting to get a clue of what is expected of the horse in basic dressage. O.K., I am a little thick, but in my defense, I come from hunter/jumper background in the 60's, translated to thoroughbred exercise rider and trainer in the 70's and 80's and back to basics in the 90's (read trail riding). I can tell you dressage is like learning to ride upside down to me. I feel like I'm just about to topple over the horses head when I'm in the "correct" position. It's like learning to paint with brushes,and then having to paint with palette knives, or worse, with sponges. It doesn't "feel" right. But, nothing new is done that isn't tried, so, I am celebrating new things in all areas by experimenting with different textures of canvas, different palettes, changing up the status quo. Am I who I am? Maybe next week I'll be a different rider, a different artist.