Dressage ultimately looks tranquil, but there's a lot of booting and shoving, especially in early training. Here's what it's really like.

Today in the car, I was behind a cyclist at traffic lights. He was standing on the pedals, trying to keep his bike still and upright without putting a foot on the ground. A bike can't actually stand upright by itself. First, it tried to tip over. Then it jacknifed at the handlebars. The rider stood on the pedals, hinking this way and that, fighting the wobbles, determined to keep it magically upright by using his strength and poise, and nearly losing all the time. That, I thought, is how it feels to school a green horse.  

Horses all have their own ways of joining with you. Byron would not tolerate a dictatorial rider, except in certain circumstances. He was too independent.

Val, though, seems to appreciate it. If I tell him how to hold himself, he feels looked after. In the last week, as he's found this easier, I've noticed he's less worried by sudden noises, which used to make him clench violently (and terrify me). I now have this arched, elegant creature, who's increasingly proud to show me what he knows, and increasingly trusting of me.