Chazot Thoughts 66
Chazot 66
“There is another world, but it is in this one.” William Butler Yeats
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linkedinParaphrasing Willliam Butler, I would say, there is another one in us but it is within our intimate one. There is a great one and an ugly one in each one of us. We can choice ugly or great but quite often what we think is great is indeed, ugly. He told me one day, “There is a straight analogy between the dumbing down of America and the equestrian education. Low education allows passing unacceptable laws, financial indecencies, and electing incompetent idiots. Likewise, keeping you at the level of natural reflexes allows forcing you into performances that you execute out of your talent but at the cost of your soundness. This is ugly, but this is promoted as the equestrian art. Nature gave you a brain that is capable of coordinating your physique far beyond natural reflexes. As performances are challenging your physique beyond the scope of your natural reflexes, genuine equestrian art is not the art of making you do tricks. Authentic equestrian art is the developing your mental capacity to ultimately coordinate your physique for the move.”
Today, I put on Manchester’s shoes because he developed my intelligence. I revolted on the race track because they gave me reasons to revolt but also because my inherent nature is impulsive, intense and self-centered. On one side of the barn. It was a Bulldozer removing a large dead tree. Chainsaws were running adding to the commotion. On the other side of the barn, it was a team of mowers cutting the grass and whip-waking under the fence. Charpege was out of her mind rearing, spinning and bouncing in her stall. I was a little exited too and a found the situation entertaining. I was not afraid at all but I run out of my stall teasing Charpege. He arrived took a few carrots in the fridge starting to calm down our young lady. I can hear the sound of a carrot broken in two pieces from miles away. I came back in my stall ready to share. He waited for me thinking, “You are not even afraid. You entertain yourself at the expense of Charpege. She is a kid, she is scared and she needs your help.” He gave me a carrot and a scene came back in my mind.
When he started my education, I was in revolt against humans, all humans. I tried kicking him during an in hand session. I did not kick as a warning; I kicked to get rid of him. He was at a safe place and I missed him. He did not deviate from his goal. I needed to experience a partnership and he kept the training session calm, until I opened a line of communication with him. It was a major breakthrough for me. He did not treat me as an angry dummy. He wanted a dialogue with the real me. Right now, I am a self-centered dummy playing at the expense of a young mare that indeed, I really like. He gave me a second carrot and we look at each other several seconds. I trotted out of my stall placed my head in front of Charpege stall waiting for her to realize that I will not try to bite her. She was indeed very afraid. She believed me faster than I believed him. She needed contact placing her neck against mine and I stay there. I felt very good about reassuring her but above all, I was happy to have the intelligence of moving away from the ugly me.
He was at the door of the tack room watching me with a large smile and Manchester was on his shoulder.
Chazot
