I was lucky enough to start my morning with a lesson on an extremely nice horse; nice as in "everything you'd ever want in a dressage horse". And on top of that, he made me say out loud: "He must be the easiest horse ever!" And that made me think about what exactly makes a horse easy?
There are a few that I've had the chance to ride that fit the "easy" category. Those include a couple of Arabs (really!), a tiny Welsh pony, a Trakehner, the Lusitano from this morning and a few others. They are of fairly widely varying levels of training and even ability, but they all have one thing in common: A very obvious willingness to be influenced by the rider, to give over their body and relax into a balance that carries the two of us effortlessly. They're usually "on" from the second you pick up the reins. They also are super attentive to and tuned into their rider and often offer up something really cool, like how they figured out something you were working on the previous ride. They generally put a giant smile on your face and you ride around grinning, sillily.
And that's not dissing the not quite as "easy" horses at all, you can get to the same place with them through correct and consistent work, it's just that you have to work a little bit harder for it. I hear owners say: " But I just want them to come out and WANT to do it, and not make me MAKE them do it!" Which reminds me of something Nick Wagman once said in a clinic, I'm paraphrasing here: It's all fine and good if your horse comes out perfect, but 99% of the time you have to ride it there. And really, that's what riding, good riding anyway, is. It's a systematic way of engaging the horse's body and mind, and you need to find a key to each one. I have one horse in training that needs a long canter warmup and a poop before asking her for some engagement falls on fertile ground. Every single time. But then you have something quite lovely to work with.
However, even with these horses I find super "easy" there's the big BUT: They're easy when they are being ridden (fairly) correctly. Some, perhaps because of their sensitivity to the rider and insistence on being kept in balance, can get worried or a bit frustrated when the rider influences them in unproductive ways, mostly unintentional due to the state in their own learning process. I think I'm going to repeat Tanya Vik's mantra every single post now: The horse can only go as well as the rider can sit. Which is why horses that allow riders to learn without getting upset should be treated like kings and queens. That's another whole level of "easy".
It just takes so darn long to develop that seat. Even if you are super talented. Even if you have a great instructor. Mastery of anything takes a long time, riding is no different. And it's only through years of learning and improving that you start realizing how much you don't know yet. In the beginning it all sounds quite simple and logical. And it is, but it's also complex, intricate and involves independent use of all your body parts, including your brain. So we keep practicing. Just make sure you've got a qualified person watching you. Only perfect practice makes perfect...