Gummy Bear Rider

First Year Student

Today I was a multi-colored gummy bear. 

I imagine purples, blues, and greens in patchwork all over my body.  I am squishy and soft.  My long gummy bear legs happily bounce while I sit on my gummy bear seat.  My toes squish in my gummy blue bear boots.  My gummy bear arms hang from my shoulders. One gloved hand is orange and the other is yellow; I figure happy colors make happy relaxed hands. I have a red baseball cap on instead of my riding helmet.  I am totally relaxed and carefree in my imaginary world, clearly, not paying attention to my instructor! 

I have found that when I concentrate on riding correctly I get tense throughout my body.  Tension causes me to brace against my horse.  Then if I focus on using my seat correctly and actively try to use my stomach muscles, the motion is forced and I end up working too hard and doing too much.  Being a gummy bear rider allows me to relax and use the correct muscles without focusing directly on them.  It is a happy coincidence that I can have fun in my imagination and it helps me become a better rider.