Eclipse goes to school

The morning we took Eclipse to the trainer, I was bursting with excitement. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn with one of the best trainers on the east coast, and I could not wait to get started. However, I was also apprehensive about this transition period for him. He had just gotten settled into his new home at Gaston Farm, and now I was moving him again.

 I wanted him to be trained to lie down so I could mount him independently from the ground, but I realized that there was so much more that Eclipse could be taught besides just this. He was an amazing horse that was so willing to learn, but there was always room for growth and improvement.   He had already shown an understanding of my needs, a capacity to quickly adapt to new situations, and a desire to undertake new challenges. We were going to be together for years to come, so Eclipse needed to be trained to his fullest potential, and I needed to be as independent as possible with him. Sending him to school was the best option for not only for him, but for me as well.

Thursday morning arrived, the day he was scheduled to go to school.  Dayna, Mom and a friend from the barn loaded him on to the trailer (it was a good thing Eclipse was headed for school because he was a tad stubborn getting on the trailer.)  However, we conquered the task and headed off on our next great adventure.

As we pulled into the long driveway headed to the training barn, anxiety engulfed me and the endless “what if’s” started to flood my brain:  What if the trainer didn't think we were a good match? What if Eclipse was unable to learn the tasks placed before him?  What if the trainer didn't think I was capable of handling such a massive horse? So many questions exploded in my mind, but there was nothing I could do but pray and trust in God’s great plan.  I stepped out of the car and walked toward the trailer to unload Eclipse when a friendly voice greeted me.

“ Hey, I’m Chuck.”  A tall cowboy in a black hat stood at the edge of the trailer and offered me a firm hand shake and a comforting smile.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you!” I answered. “ I’m Mary and this is my horse, Eclipse!”

 “He’s real pretty,” he said as he helped guide Eclipse out of the trailer and down to the barn. I so desperately wanted Chuck’s approval because Eclipse and I were already so bonded it would break my heart if he didn't pass the trainer’s test. We spent time discussing more in-depth my unique situation and how best to go about the process of schooling him. I met everyone at the barn, including his beautiful wife, Suzanne, an experienced Dressage coach, and their precious infant son, a future horseman in the making. Each person we met was so encouraging and so supportive that a peace filled my heart, and I knew Eclipse was in the right place.

Chuck wanted to spend the next day evaluating Eclipse on his own, and we were not scheduled to have our first lesson until the next Saturday. It was time to say goodbye for a few days and let Eclipse get acclimated to his new surroundings, so I kissed him on his velvety nose and told myself not to look back as I headed to the car. I was reassured by everyone at the barn that he would be well taken care of as I thanked them, smiled, and drove away.

 The days that followed seemed to creep by, but finally, finally,   it was time for our first lesson.  As we headed out to the arena, Mom eagerly asked Chuck his thoughts on Eclipse.

“Do you think he is the right horse for her? Do you think he will be able to learn everything we need him too? Do you think he will keep her safe? Do you think we made the right choice?”

Her questions seemed endless, as she was as concerned as I that he give Eclipse his stamp of approval. Chuck just listened patiently and said it was a little early to tell. He had only just started to work with him and knew he had some holes that need to be filled in, but didn't see why Eclipse would not be able to learn everything asked of him.  To start off, Mom and I would just be watching as Chuck explained the training process and took him through a series of exercises.  We would have our turn to ride and do groundwork after Eclipse learned a basic foundation and after we had learned the fundamentals we needed to be able to understand how to naturally and confidently handle him.  

The first lesson, Chuck worked on desensitizing Eclipse to various objects and sounds as well as slowing down his gaits. First, he rubbed him with the training stick to get him used to unfamiliar objects touching him until Eclipse relaxed and was ready for the next step.  Next, he walked him through the various stages of training, with each step building on the success of the last exercise. Chuck used his body language to direct the horse,  staying calm and collected, never getting upset or angry if Eclipse did not do something he asked. He would simply repeat the exercise until he got the answer he was looking for. He carefully watched Eclipse to gauge his reaction by his body language as well. I learned to watch for a blink of his eyes, licking and chewing, and a cocking of his back foot to signal submissiveness and relaxation.  A switching tail and bobbing head were cues that the horse was not respecting the trainer or what was asked of him.   Every time he successfully completed a task, Chuck let him rest and “taste the icing,” a phrase he used to describe the moment when the horse was rewarded for his success. I sat watching with amazement, feeling as if I were truly in the presence of a horse whisperer.

 Chuck had a natural and serene gift for working with horses.   He explained from the very beginning that he never pushed a horse to complete a task for which he would not get a “yes” answer, and his methodology made perfect sense as I watched the trust that Eclipse had quickly developed for Chuck and the connection they had already cultivated. The body language between horse and trainer showed me that they were in sync with each other, as if I were watching a dance between two well-matched partners.  I couldn't wait to watch this process unfold, realizing in this first lesson that Chuck would be able to take Eclipse far beyond what I had dreamed possible.

 All the way home, I silently thanked God for His continuous blessings, for He was sending a host of angels to watch over me along this beautiful journey. In the process, I was not only building my confidence with my horse, but was developing lasting friendships with God-given angels that were quickly beginning to feel like family. I was also learning that I was not alone in this voyage called life.