We all remember that from Disney’s movie, Snow White and may have even said it to the mirror in our room. But, did you ever consider that a horse can be the best mirror of all?
Horses respond to the person riding it. But horses have their own personalities too. So how is a horse a mirror of its rider?
At our riding facility we hold our weekend classes in the morning. Riding starts at 9:30 am. Not a bad time – a little later than school starts for some students – but early enough, especially if your drive time is more than a half hour.
As the riders mount up, I observe both the horse and the rider. “Shirley, did you have a sleepover last night?” I ask one rider. She looks back at me, and responds, “Yes, how did you know?” It’s simple, the horse that she is riding usually walks energetically, and this morning the horse is dragging around the arena. Mom tells me that she couldn’t settle the girl down until well past midnight. I look at the rider, she looks tired, she acts tired, and the horse reflects her energy level perfectly. In the next class another rider is bouncing off the walls, and the same horse is filled with energy and ready to move.
Similarly riders who are distracted by things that are happening in their home life, good or bad, may have time focusing on their riding skills. They miss a turn or have a difficult time getting the horse to trot. Mom tells me the horse is acting stubborn; I smile and ask what’s going on this week.
I will admit, not all behaviors reflect the rider. The horse may have an off day. Heat and cold can affect a horse’s disposition just like it affects ours. A sudden cold snap after several miserably hot days will make the calmest horse livelier. Older horses, with arthritis, will not want to move on a cold, rainy day. So these factors need to be taken into account.
But overall, the horse you ride and the way it acts says a lot about you!
Life at Pretty Pony Pastures 