What is it about horses and indoor riding that makes them spook?!
Is it the switch from hot to cold? Outside to inside? Bored? Frisky?

I really need to know!
Alright, I don’t need to know but I am curious.

Wait, I think I know what it is.
It’s the doors.

BIG.
SCARY.
DOORS.

Silent sentinels waiting to spring into action and eat us.

Yep, that’s it.
That had to be what my horse was thinking when she spooked at the door.
Again.

Only this time, I knew what had caused her to spook. It was my instructor. She was moving something near the door as we trotted past. Or maybe it was the actual door?

Anyway, it must’ve sounded like a low, rumbling RAWR!
Oops, that was way too loud. I meant rawr.

Oh God! Here we go again!
But the horse barely moved. It was amazing.
I was right there with her. In a flash, I had started a one rein stop and I really sat down into her.
No, that’s not right. I really kneeled into my thighs and didn’t grip with my lower leg.
For a brief moment in time I had a dressage seat.

My instructor was ecstatic! According to her I had REALLY collected the horse by sitting so deeply into my thighs, er, I mean kneeling. Kneeling, kneeling. Her exact words were “If Mary Wanless saw that she’d kiss you!”

So, where’s my kiss?

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