Balance BFO

The other day I had yet another BFO with balance! Similar to my adventure with the lawn tractor this summer, I learned a lot about balance from something innocuous random.

While teaching a lesson, I was wandering around the arena, and there were some poles on the ground, of the hunter variety that are kind of octagonal. I distractedly kept trying to stand and balance on it, not really paying attention, but just fiddling with posture and balance. Then I stopped and thought about it, why is my balance so terrible ont his pole? I can usually walk on the curb fairly easily, so this should be similar, right?

Hmm.. Well. Firstly, pretty much everythign in my body was bracing one way or another to try and stay on the pole.  Given what we know about fluidity, we know brace in singularly ineffective. So I tried relaxing. That was great but I kind of melted right off the pole.

Ok, so fluid is good, but not the only answer. So, once again, I heard Linda in my head, saying tuck your belly button to your spine, Micheal Jackson with your hip, armpits down etc.... and there it was! I found this .... sort of zone I guess, where I could balance there quietly. For a few moments anyways. This one was harder than the lawn mower! So I played with that while I was teaching. It was a fun little exercise and it distracted me from the cold!

I love how Parelli really is way more than riding!

:-)
S