MARK RASHID inTN

By Marilyn Spoon

I know you guys don't hear from me very often, but I'm coming out of lurkdome for a brief moment so I can share with you my experience at the Mark Rashid clinic this past weekend. There were so many things that happened, with so many horses and riders, rd love to tell them all. But I think I'll just stick to my own story.

Just a little background, Prince and I first rode with Mark back in October, 1998 I had never really heard of NH before, and as a result, I was a basket case and had made my horse one, too. After riding with Mark then, I was determined to follow this new (and better) way.

So we worked together for the past year and a half, finding e quieter, gentler way of accomplishing things. At times I wasn't sure if I was on the right track, then at other times I was quite confident. The true test was taking Prince back to see Mark this past weekend. And I'm quite relieved to say that I THINK I passed. At least that's what I want to believe after Mark told me that Prince "wasn't even the same horse" that he had seen 19 months ago. I don't think anyone could have sand-blasted the grin off my face!!

Now I've got to tell you, it wasn't the mechanical things that Mark had shown me so many months ago, it was the change he had made inside my heart. I found that after working with him, my attitude had changed, and that changed everything else about my approach Now that's not to say that I didn't still have some of those old feelings creeping in from time to time (getting angry if Prince wasn't  performing, etc.), but it did give me a new way of looking at WHY he wasn't performing. Was I asking him clearly? Was I expecting too much? Did he understand what I was asking? Usually just looking at it from a different perspective was enough to clear up the problems at hand.

My final problem to be overcome at this clinic was my riding (in)-abilities To put it bluntly, I could stay on top of my horse at a walk, but anything faster and I was just holding on -and sometimes just barely!! I had a couple of wrecks at the canter, and decided that this was the problem to be addressed. I was especially excited at prospect of getting instruction from both Mark AND Jodi Denning -- a 2 in 1 deal if ever there was one.

After a change m saddle (mine didn't fit me OR my horse), it took Jodi less than 15 minutes to change my seating position. WOW! What a difference a pair seatbones can make! I commented when riding in my saddle, I felt like I was in a toaster - about to be popped out at any minute, but while riding in Mark's saddle (a Dave Genedek saddle) it was like being swallowed by a clam! The first day was spent in the round pen, just getting feel for the new position at a walk and trot. I must admit, Prince was making me look awfully good. I couldn't have done it without him! 

The second day was spent in the arena. The HUGE arena. Where I knew Prince could really trot, rack and canter on out. I was soooo nervous, and of course, transferred some of that into my horse. Mark worked with me until "my motor slowed down" then we quietly worked our way out of the walk into the trot and rack. I am amazed that my butt never left the saddle! Mark swears Prince even got into his little canter out there a time or two, but I wasn't sure I believed him as I wasn't experiencing the gut-wrenching fear that always grips me at the canter. I did manage to video tape my session, and actually can see that Prince did canter for a stride or two! It was amazing to watch myself gliding WITH my horse instead of being braced ON TOP OF my horse. I am now seeing a glimmer of hope that Prince and I actually are going to be able to ride as one, rather than riding as "him" and "me".

So for my new-found abilities, I will forever owe a debt of gratitude to Mark and Jodi. I encourage everyone to go see them if you have a chance!

Marilyn Spoon and Prince