Tracy Ward was 8 years old when she got her first pony for Christmas. She’s been on horseback ever since.
Now an instructor at Eagle Flight Farm in Los Olivos, Ward owns five horses and told the Sun that she rides daily.
“It’s pretty much a full-time job,” she said. “If I’m not riding, I’m taking care of them or eyeing feed.”
While Ward has spent much of her life competing in various events, she explained that her drive to ride comes down to passion and a desire to get better.
“Mostly, it is about the improvement of a skill, or a strength, or flexibility—speed, height, or balance—and getting better with the space you are operating in with the body you have,” she said.
After that, it comes down to chemistry between the horse and rider.
“When the training has gone well and the connection is truly there, [the horse] understands that they did well, that you are happy, and then they are pleased that you allowed them to perform to their best [ability],” Ward explained. “Horses are honest. They are consistent; they are sensitive and aware. They are not big dogs; they are prey. They want to be safe. They run in herds, not packs.
“You need to be aware of yourself first to be of any service to them, but when they respect your presence in their life, they gladly give you theirs,” she added.
It’s a philosophy Ward tries to preach to anyone seeking to learn how to ride.
“The biggest thing is to make it easy for the horse to do what you’re asking it to do,” she said, adding that watching someone attempt their first go on horseback usually proves a learning experience for horse, rider, and teacher.
“I think it’s just a process,” Ward said. “It’s interesting giving lessons, especially when people tell me the horse is not doing what they are asking—that tells me a lot about [the rider].”
Ward explained that experienced equestrians understand that treating a horse as a partner bolsters the bonding process and, by extension, the riding experience.
“That’s horsemanship,” she said. “Be kind, clear, consistent, and confident. That also works for life.”
This article appears in Sep 28 – Oct 5, 2017.