Photo & Poem: Asking for Her Eye

She knows my presence before
I see her. Under the tree in the
far corner of the pasture, no real
shade but she stands there, hip

cocked at rest, a prairie breeze
weaving her tail. Approaching her
slowly, regretting what I am but
trying to downplay the plain truth,

walking an arc, pausing. Has her
eye turned dark, has the breath in
her flank gone shallow? Where
is the invisible line where she will

tell me I’ve come too far, too fast.
Pause again, she might take a step
toward me or pull herself deep
inside, play dead to my soft hand,

shut down to my wish, so I shift
back to my heel in a question.
Mother, may I? Waiting for her
permission, starving for the touch

of her dappled coat, warm under
her mane but moments of eternity
pass, holding for her acquiescence,
for this good mare to notice I listen.

…

Anna Blake at Infinity Farm

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Working with riders of any discipline and horses of any breed, Anna believes dressage training principals build a relaxed & forward foundation that crosses over all riding disciplines in the same way that the understanding Calming Signals