I learned the fundamentals of equitation to the repetitive tune of Heads up! Heels down! trotting around and around the riding school arena. I acquired the hows of riding in those early years, but my whys were typically answered with tradition – that’s just the way it’s done. Thinking back, if I’d grasped the reasoning behind the technical skills of riding, I’d have been more motivated to persevere in those drills without stirrups!