Horse yoga

I am talking specifically about horse yoga here but, generally about learning anything. We show her new things, help her follow her passions, and introduce her to ours. We don't meddle in HER process. How she wants to learn, what parts interest her, how she experiments, what type of "mess" she makes, how dirty she gets. We let her develop her own way, with her own creativity and ideas and give her the time she needs to explore. We are there to help, if she asks and participate, if she asks. We also walk away and let her work on her own. But this day we were together, riding.

Look at the photos. From the waist down she never changes her posture. This is perfect. She developed it on her own. We never talk about it. We are just out in the woods having fun on our horses.

I suggested stretching, she loves yoga. She maintained her seat all the while. I didn't even notice until I saw these pitures.

She can feel where she should be, how to be balanced. She has been sitting on this pony since she was 3 weeks old. She is very comfortable here, on Tonto.

To have a "good seat" is to be perfectly balanced, to move as if you are joined, physically, with your horse. This is how you stay on, not by holding onto stirrups with your feet or the saddle with your hands. I always start kids bareback, with a pad, for this reason. So they develop a good seat, before they ever see a saddle.

Life is Good!