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August 3, 2017: Parallel Lines Intersecting in Infinity

Pete’s away, gone dip netting in Chitina. When he goes away, I become very introspective, and in the worst of ways. A dark cloud descends and will not lift. I am working hard to change this. It is sort of like rerouting a freight train moving at a high speed — the objective being to get it onto the adjacent track. Letting it roll on is far easier than moving it onto a differing rail.

My dad told me when I was young that parallel lines intersect in infinity – he was referring to trains and train rails. I didn’t fully understand this then, but do now. The tracks appear to meet at the distance but do not. Infinity is in this instance an illusion. I know I will never get there, but I don’t want to become derailed. I now realize I was heading in that direction.




I had been bummed about my progress as a Centered Riding instructor/rider. I am wanting to be a Level II instructor. I just didn’t see how I could continue to be assessed or evaluated. A possible option occurred to me but I dismissed it. This was having Susan and Peggy assess and evaluate me via video. They could provide me with feedback, and when I’m ready, write my update letters.

The problem was that I could not, in this respect, reroute the train. I was on one track – the track that indicated that my only option was to go outside and do at least two more update clinics, something that for me here is cost prohibitive. The words “at least two more update clinics” was another drawback because we most certainly cannot afford that.

I moved the train onto the other track this morning as I was cleaning the horse paddock. I have been stuck on the concept of being assessed and evaluated by going someplace else. I had mulled over the idea of doing this in video form, but was inwardly dismissive. I did not mention this to anyone, and no one mentioned it to me. If they had, I most likely would have said no and come up with a reason for this. Undoubtedly, I was subconsciously enjoying being depressed about seeing what I foresaw as a lack of possibilities.

But for reasons that I will never fathom, the train moved – and I began envisioning what I might do in terms of making riding and instruction videos. Now the possibilities seem endless.

My first thought was that I could get Kenzie to be my student since of all my students she has best internalized the principles of Centered Riding. And if she was hesitant, I could call upon Ruth, who too has internalized the principles of Centered Riding. And I could give Jonathan a lesson, that is if Peggy and Susan want me to take on a real challenge. Or I could do a series of videos.

My second thought was that I might submit a video of me riding Raudi, both on and off trail. The trail portion – I could show her standing still while I mount and dismount, and going through streams, backing, going over a log, sidepassing if necessary. I could also include a clip of her doing arena work – walk, trot, and cantering.

Pete could be the videographer. We’d have to invest in a video camera. We could also use this camera in doing agility.

Doing all this would be most useful for me as well as other instructor/riders in that it would serve as a communicative template. We could in time provide instruction and riding related feedback to one another.

Again, big ideas. What is most important here is that in throwing the switch (and I would like to think that Sally Swift did this) that I sent to train onto a differing track. And in sending it onto another track, I acknowledged that I created another option. In in creating another option I moved forward, and in the right direction.

Next: 212. 7/4/17: Three Riding Horses

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