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Riding at
Sunburst School of Horsemanship is just plain FUN!
By Bess Short
I can
honestly say that my most recent trip to Kentucky this fall of 2006, which
included taking lessons with Rosemary Taylor, of Sunburst School of
Horsemanship, was even more enjoyable than my last trip in February of the same
year. At that time, this chilly Florida girl was probably more focused on
preventing frostbite. Rosemary’s approach to riding is a lot different than that
of other instructors I have had over the years. In fact, I felt like a complete
novice all over again. On the other hand, by the time we were through, riding
seemed so much simpler than all the fussy things I had been taught over the
years. Basically, it was learning how to communicate with your horse in the
simplest and most direct way, with balance and body position, which is a very
focused and centered way to ride. But the best part was that, not only did it
work on Rosemary’s various school horses, it worked the same way on my horses at
home. My return visit this month of September was just as illuminating.
Not only is the atmosphere always lively and interesting at Sunburst, but
Rosemary always has something up her sleeve…something calculated to get her
riders thinking, not only about their own riding but that of others. THINKING
seems to play a large part in Rosemary’s teaching. Yes, certain parts of riding
become automatic over time, but that doesn’t mean the thinking stops. There is
thinking about your position in the saddle and how that affects the horse’s
behavior. There is thinking about the nuances of communication that make the
difference between an average ride (or rider) and a truly great two-way venture
between patient mount and attentive rider. There is also thinking about what
other horses and riders are doing, being aware of their space, their actions and
interactions with you and your mount. There is even thinking about how the
rider’s thinking affects the horse. And there is always thinking about the next
horse.
Just about the time one is beginning to feel comfortable on one mount, Rosemary
switches the rider to another horse and another and another, always challenging
the student to figure out how to communicate with yet another individual, for
every horse in her barn, as in all barns really, is a distinct individual, from
dainty but spirited Arabian Raj, to athletic Thoroughbred Louie, to mountainous
Belgian Jane with her amazingly flowing gaits, to Gorgeous Gerta, a horse of
uncertain pedigree but absolutely certain opinions and unparalleled patience.
Riding one horse is never the goal, rather being able to ride any horse with
equal aplomb is the mark of the true horseman or horsewoman. Instructing,
nudging, encouraging, refining…these are the hallmarks of Rosemary’s program.
And they work, as attested to by the enthusiasm of her students.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a first-time rider, a seasoned veteran
returning to horseback after a prolonged layoff, an accomplished equestrian on
the show circuit, or just a weekend wannabe who loves horses, Rosemary has a
plan for you. But there are some requirements: (1) love of horses, (2) a kind
and compassionate attitude towards our four-legged friends, (3) a deep-seated
desire to learn, and (4) and the dedication to keep on trying. At least this is
what I have taken away from Rosemary’s program. And I can’t wait to go to
Kentucky again.
Bess Short
P.S. Personally, I think that Rosemary was a horse in another life. Perhaps that
is how she knows just how horses should be treated…with love and respect and
kindness, a definite win-win combination for a lifetime of happy riding.
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