Walking Tango

I like to go for walks with my horse.

On the ground, I mean. Side by side.

We have a hill that’s pretty steep and that’s good for his hindquarters.

Mine, too, I suppose.

I prefer to have his eye at my shoulder so I can look past his nose to see what’s happening on the opposite side. That puts me slightly ahead of him, but not much.

As we walk, I try to stay in synch with him so that my feet are coordinated with his rear feet. My left falls when his left rear falls, my right falls when his right rear falls.

For one thing, this lets me walk close to him without getting stepped on.

There’s a slight downward bob of his head as each rear foot falls, just as there’s a slight lowering of my center as each of my feet falls.

There’s a rhythm to it.

It’s a pleasant groove to be in.

Feels very connected.

You can imagine a four count drum beat with the bass drum on one and three, as each rear foot falls, and the snare on 2 and 4. Boom-chick-boom-chick, boom-chick-boom-chick...

Whether we speed up or slow down, I try to keep us in synch. After a while you can feel it, if you’re not together. It just feels awkward.

I guess it doesn't take much to keep me entertained...

But this is pretty much what I do on his back too. Try to keep my feet connected to his rear feet, just as if his feet were my feet. I want to feel his walk, his trot his canter in my legs as if I was wearing the bottom half of a two-piece horse costume.

I don’t believe I’ve ever heard or read anyone mention walking in synch. Maybe it’s so obvious everybody just naturally does it and I’m the last dummy to figure it out.

Thoughts?

sj