In horsemanship this word is used to describe how physically steady or clumsy a horse moves in his environment.
We’ve all lost our balance, and when we do we feel uncertain, unsteady, disoriented and out of control. Things feel difficult when we are out of balance. We easily sway, trip or stumble. We won’t have control of our speed, posture or direction.
When we feel moments of great balance we feel in control, that our body is in tune with our mind. We feel like we can physically handle the elements around us (the ground, obstacles). Things feel easy when we have balance. We can pick our speed, our direction and our posture.
Discussions about a horse’s balance can be about his natural way of going, or how he is affected by the influence of a human handler or rider. The term balance can also be used in discussions of a horse’s conformation.
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