Putting others first

I loved “Saving Frankie” (True Tale, EQUUS 463). Some people may be critical of author Joan Denton, but I love her wise attitude about her experience. As a born-again Christian I can tell you that in God’s eyes it’s not always about us. Some of the richest experiences in life happen when we put someone else’s welfare ahead of our own wants, which is what Joan did for Frankie. Kudos to you, Joan! little intermissions during each training session. My old teacher Karl Mikolka, former head rider of the Spanish Riding School, used to say the free walk on a long rein was the next best thing to the horse to going back to his stall. If you are savvy, you reward the horse when he has completed an exercise well instead of rushing on to the next item on your agenda.

The rider, too, needs that brief intermission. Many years ago at different times I worked with two coaches who hurried from one point to another. Both taught as though they were being judged on how much they could fit into a lesson, not how well the student learned. There was no point in continuing with them.

I would also suggest that a rider