Sprezzatura!

Sprezzatura (pronounced: sprez·za·tu·ra), an archaic Italian word describing one who is a master of their craft and performs it with little visible effort.  It is the art of executing a task effortlessly with grace, class, and elan. 

Sprezzatura is the ultimate goal when playing with horses - to be so fluent that with a whisper we are able to call up boundless effort, enthusiasm, and exuberance from the horse.  It is with Sprezzatura in my heart that I work towards honing my craft with horses... To be so native to the horse that it is hard to tell where one of us begins and one of us ends, our energies and minds connected through such refined elements of language that it will be impossible to know what is being said between us.  All you behold is elegance before you. 

The pursuit of higher levels in horsemanship is a journey on a path with no end... the path offers only a vague destination of greatness, of completeness, of oneness with the horse.  My experience in horses really began when I discovered the core values of natural horsemanship and what it truly means to create a desire in my horse to be with me and to do my bidding with lightness in her heart. 

I have grown immensely as a horsewoman, as a friend, as a partner, as a student and learner, in my emotional, mental, and physical fitnesses.  Before becoming acquainted with the methods of natural horsemanship all I intimately knew was my ego, through natural horsemanship I have finally been introduced to my horse's beautiful spirit and I have been humbled and I am a better person for it.  My horse has shown me what's really true and pure between us and I am eternally grateful that my eyes have been opened to see the horse for what it truly is - an honest vessel, a catalyst for me to see my own reflection, the truth about myself shines in her eyes.

When I play with my horse I play with Sprezzatura in my mind - the pursuit of ultimate subtlety and skill - not just for me, but for my horse as well.