In the scheme of things, to find balance between touch and no touch, to find that weight of a mere 5 grams, seems a simple task. Not seated in the saddle there is no concern over one’s own balance in the saddle. Being connected via a simple rein, touch between the hand and the horse’s mouth, this is little else that is more simplified. But this connection is deceiving, because although it is our own control over that 5 grams, to convince our responses to follow those orders is another story. That is where I found myself in the moments of connection with Scout today.

To bring oneself to peace, quiet, waiting, feeling. To bring the horse to stillness, only to the initiate movement again. Easier said than done. The mind tries to pipe up and give it’s input, the logic attempts to discern every movement into information worth analysis, the body weighs heavier and heaviest, and the ego wants to simply employ force to get the desired response. Somewhere underneath all of those voices, there is a small one, a voice of silence, of solitude and peace. It is small, inaudible, but it is still present. It peeks out when all of the other voices have been quieted, silenced, that is when it takes the opportunity to say, “…” Nothing. That is the still point. That is the principle necessary before we re-institute movement.

And that movement, is pure intention. It is the thought, the feeling only through our mind. It causes such small changes in our energy that we fail to perceive them in most cases. We miss them for the larger movements that overpower them. The intention is more powerful, more capable, but it requires time, patience, quiet, still. It requires dedication of the mind, of the intent. We can only be so strong with force, with muscle, with bone. But with energy, we can exceed the strength of 100 men, we can exceed it through the influential power it holds. We can, but we often fail to believe that we can, instead we settle for the minute measure of potential strength that physical force conjures up.

So come back to stillness. Find that still point where the silence resides, where that small voice of nothingness exists, and then begin your intent. Begin the flow of energy, let it build gradually, let it build as it is meant to. Let it find it’s potential power by feeding it with calm intent.