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[Fwd: [RC] ATHLETE defined] - Jim HollandAnd THIS, ladies and gentlemen, is what it's all about, expressed with a literary skill far beyond my mundane scribblings. If this is not your ultimate goal in Endurance, or ANY Equine discipline, you missed the best part. Some indications that the bond or "merger" has occurred, from both perspectives: The soft nicker of welcome when you go down to the barn. The big brown eyes filled with interest and anticipation. The extended nose and wiggle of lip on your face in a gentle "kiss" of welcome. The warm horse smell that gives you peace when you stick your nose in his mane. When you go sit out in the pasture, the way he comes over, hangs his head over your shoulder and dozes off with his warm, sweet breath on your neck. The sighs of contentment when you scratch all the "good spots", brush his coat, or rub his legs and the soft nuzzle as he "grooms you" in reciprocation. The leaving of his "herd", no matter how large, to come to you. The willingness to defer to you in all things. The way he "reads" you when you simply "think" what you want. The way that you instinctively know when he's tired or in pain. The tremble of excitement you can feel in his body at the start of competition. The willingness to give to you, not only his all, but EVERYTHING without qualification. Jim, Sun of Dimanche, and Mahada Magic -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [RC] ATHLETE defined Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2003 14:52:01 -0800 From: Roberta Jo Lieberman <kindredspiritrjl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Reply-To: kindredspiritrjl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Jim wrote: Sunny and I are a TEAM...we take care of each other.< And _that_, in my opinion, is what makes the difference. No equestrian excellence, no thing of beauty astride, can be achieved in any discipline without the Centaur-like merging of human and horse. What this involves goes beyond the individual attributes of athleticism. It's the neuro-muscular merging of the two so that the lines between the nervous systems -- the shared reflexes and unified centers of gravity -- are all but indistinguishable. As author and equine historian Bjarke Rink has written: "Homo-caballus denotes the combination of a human and an equine who are able to achieve complete emotional understanding and connect all of their neurophysiological resources into one galloping unit. The creature resulting from this merger is capable of doing whatever he or she has decided to do, with the total cooperation of his or her other self. But if you are ever in doubt whether the combination in the ring is a real Homo-Caballus, pin your attention on the horse -- in high performance equitation one fact stands out like greenbacks strewn on the pavement: caballus is actually enjoying the performance, and the two partners have an edge on the rest of the pack. And after the performance, caballus may be breathing hard but is otherwise calm and elated by his own success." Regards, Bobbie&Perle Escondido, Calif. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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