Copyright © 1998 by Jim Oakley
![]() Ream took a deep breath recognizing an increment of dampness in the air. He was finishing his coffee while he gathered his thoughts in a morning seranade of birds greeting the day, when Gus and Biffer arrived. The usual exchange of greeting between Biff and Ream occurred as if nothing had happened. The accident the day before was water under the bridge to both of them. Gus had given Ream the slack he needed to collect himself. Ream knew he was ready to remount Biff. His jitters from the day before had dissolved, and his aspiration was restored because he now understood the mechanics of the accident and the nature of the horse. There was no longer any mystery in falling off. He knew that to understand what is behind a fear is to deal fear a mortal blow. On the way back to Gus's, Ream lead Biffer while Gus guided them both. They practiced turns and other maneuvers while walking along the road. When they arrived, Gus said, "Ponduro felt so bad about letting the lumber spook Biff yesterday he worked all afternoon helping me install a Cowboy Clothesline." "Oh?" "Yup, he and I set up this clothesline between two pulleys in the round pen. And we have been practicing with it. I rode Biff with my eyes shut while he called the directions. I will explain it to you when we get there." Ponduro greeted them with a meek smile as they arrived at the round pen. All three entered directly. Gus said, "If you're ready, only you know, it's your choice?" He was handling Ream just as he always interacted with horses. He was letting Ream make his own decision. Ream felt a moment's trepidation and a healthy apprehension likened to stage fright, but not a crippling fear. He took a deep breath to center himself as he stepped up onto Biff. Ream knew he would prevail over a fear he could understand. Biff acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred the day before. He assumed his existing natural respect for Ream. This was endemic in an honest horse, and while parts of Ream might have been back at the accident yesterday, the horse was completely in the present. In a few minutes Ream's apprehension dissolved into alertness. He had regained his confidence, and learned a new respect for the nature of the horse. The accident served to keep his mind in a state of readiness, and he sensed his feet sliding intuitively deep in the stirrups, and with one hand on the saddle horn he rode with growing assurance. On one side of the round pen, Gus and Ponduro looped a rope around a pulley at each end. Similar to a clothesline on pulleys, there hung a red handkerchief about 4 feet off the ground. Gus could stand at one end and pull the lower rope and the flag would move right, and pulling on the top rope, the handkerchief would move left. Gus explained to Ream that Biff was trained to follow the handkerchief because this exercise was used in beginning training for a cutting horse. The horse needed to take cues from something besides the rider. The horse learned to follow the movement of the handkerchief; later he would follow the movements of a calf. In the beginning Gus moved the flag slowly letting Biff follow it from one end of the corral to the other. Then the changes of direction became more distinct. Finally they were rapid. Biff did his job, following the flag in its quick jerky movements. Ream was riding him. Gus would give him advance notice of an upcoming reverse so Ream would be prepared. Ream balanced his weight in the stirrups keeping his mind in the middle. At first Ream rode behind the movement, like a bottle of water stacked into the saddle. Then he found the intuitive part of himself that could follow the true nature of the movement. By molding himself into this, he was able to read the minute signals from Biff, anticipating his movement. By all appearances, it looked as if Ream could predict which way Biff would move. With this reflex in place, Gus stopped giving advance notice and moved the flag quickly in either direction while Biff automatically followed it. Ream continued to ride the fast action, now instinctively. They worked on these maneuvers for most of the afternoon, off and on, stopping for lunch when Mrs. Mead arrived with food she brought from home. She and Ponduro softly applauded as Ream dismounted. Ream smiled; he was brimming with confidence knowing the mystery had been removed from the shying or reflex action of the horse. There was not a need to forgive Biff for shying but, to learn to accept the nature of the horse, because accidents would happen again and again. But now he could ride it through when they did. |