Boundaries. With kids or horses, establishing limits and expectations is the one of the most considerate things we can do for them. Insecurity and resentment arise when boundaries aren’t well communicated or they shift.

As  decision maker the horse/human partnership, riders must clearly define their expectations of the pace, path and package with which they want their horses to travel. How long a canter stride? How slow a walk? Exactly how deep into this corner will we ride? How much of a bend in the horse’s body? Short or long frame/outline? Lowered or raised neck and head?

What kind of a “box” do you draw around your horse? My box, for example might look like this – “In the serpentine shape we’re cantering, I’d like a consistent 7 foot stride (collected), with straight body alignment going across the arena with an arced shape around the curves. All this in a medium frame.”

When my horse extends his stride to 7.5 feet, he meets the front of the box. If he steps of the “balance beam” across the serpentine, he encounters the side of the box. When he elevates his neck and ventures above the bit, he feels the top of the box.

When my horse stays inside the perimeter without me having to hold him there, that’s self carriage. There’s freedom and peace within the boundaries.

A box protects it’s contents. The rules of a household and the rules of the land are ideally for our own welfare. In my life I’ve pondered that if God exists, if He has a plan for my life, if He loves me, then His guidelines aren’t to spoil my fun but to give me freedom and peace.

I’d say, that security and confidence has given me some self carriage.