 |
“You’ve Got Trail” March Newsletter |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Spring Riding is Here! Let's PLAY!
With the coming of Spring and those precious extra daylight hours to be with our horses, we at Long Riders Gear thought it would be a great time to share some wonderful insights about play and riding. All of us who ride, intuitively recognize the complex set of joys and challenges that accompany being with and playing with horses. But sometimes it’s difficult to come up with words adequate to explain why we do what we do. So here are some passages that express those difficult to verbalize thoughts and feelings about why riding makes us so happy!
|
Excerpts from Deep Play by Diane Ackerman
Vintage Books, NY,1999
 |
Don on Lacy, Alex on Buddy, and Karen on Tippy at Grand Lake Colorado
|
"For humans, play is a refuge from ordinary life, a sanctuary of the mind, where one is exempt from life’s customs, methods, and decrees. Play always has a sacred place-some version of the playground-in which it happens. The hallowed ground is usually outlined, so that it’s clearly set off from the rest of reality. This place may be a classroom, a sports stadium, a stage...a coral reef, a workbench in a garage...a field where people clasp hands in a circle under the new moon. ...The world of play favors exuberance, license, abandon. In the self-enclosed world of play, there is no hunger. It is its own goal, which it reaches in a richly satisfying way. Play has its own etiquette, rituals and ceremonies, its own absolute rules. But play also has its distinctive psychology.
Above all, play requires freedom. One chooses to play. ...It happens outside ordinary life, and it requires freedom. ...Most forms of play involve competition, against oneself or others, and test one’s skills, cunning, or courage. One might even argue that all play is a contest of one sort or another. To play is to risk: to risk is to play.
Play is an activity enjoyed for its own sake. It is our brain’s favorite way of learning and maneuvering. Play may have different strengths, not all of them mystical and soul-stealing. But even in its least intoxicating forms, play feels satisfying, absorbing, and has rules and a life of its own, while offering rare challenges. It gives us the opportunity to perfect ourselves. It’s organic to who and what we are, a process as instinctive as breathing. Much of human life unfolds as play."
Excerpts from a Personal Account of Joyce Nesmith in She Flies Without Wings by Mary D. Midkiff
Delacorte Press, NY, 2001
 |
Holly & Priceless Art riding 50 miler at Bandit Springs, OR
|
"When I’m on horseback, I have to live in the present. I am with my horse. If my mind wanders when I am riding and if I am not paying full attention to my environment and my horse, I could end up in very unhappy circumstances. When we are together, I concentrate completely on him. These moments in the present bring relief from the stress in my life. I have a great time trail riding. I love to listen to the birds, look at the trees and plants, and watch for deer, foxes and other wildlife. I feel the rhythm of (my horse’s) gaits, feel his back and belly swell if he gets frightened, feel it dissipate as he calms. All these sensations need to be acknowledged and synthesized while I’m looking at scenery or deciding what direction to take next. Learning to ride has been the greatest physical, mental, and emotional challenge I’ve faced in my life. Nothing in my school or work life can compare. Learning to ride has required concentration, hard work, and persistence on my part. ...Riding (my horse) also presents frustrations at times. These moments in turn help me focus my energies on constructive ways to overcome frustration. When my mother became ill about three years ago, my horse helped me during that time, too, by giving me an outlet where I can completely escape for a few hours. When I return to “real life” after riding, I am refreshed and ready to face the challenges. Being with (my horse) brings me peace..."
So, there are many reasons to get out there this season on our horses: to play, to test limits and personal courage, to build or maintain self-esteem, to gain self-knowledge, to be in the moment as a form of meditation and much more. We at Long Riders Gear wish you happy, safe, and fulfilling riding and are here to provide the finest equipment to help get you where you want to go!
|
Share your savvy... Do you have tips and tricks, and horse related photos you would like to share with fellow Long Riders? Send your tips to info@longridersgear.com or reply to this email. If we publish your submitted trick and/or photo we'll gratefully send you a 10%-off coupon code for your next purchase!
Check out the New Gear we just added to our web site! Plus, don't miss out on Clearance Gear for discounted must-have trail gear and horse care products!
|
|
|
