Don't speak, just listen

I've been doing a lot of thinking this past 2 weeks while we've been snowed in.
Mostly about my motivation, or lack of it on occasion.. I want to do the best I can for my horses, and I think they have a pretty good life, but my expectations are high and although I say/think, even, that the horse comes first, and I always try to be fair,  that's not always the case, as it is, in fact, about me.
 I 'want' to do this and I 'want' to do that, I feel pressure to progress and I think we are progressing, but it has become our main goal.
I feel the responsibility of educating two young horses ( and it is a big responsibility) and I'm trying too much to progress, not just letting it happen, and the 'trying' is putting its own limits on us.
In simple terms, it's the goal that's putting pressure on me. It should be that I want to be with the horse and the horse wants to be with me.  I should just be with my horses.
I'm not explaining it very well, but, things are starting to make sense to me.
I went into my session with Rem yesterday with this in mind. I started off by spending some time with him, grooming and scratching, just enjoying his company. I hadn't intended to ride, but it's been a while and  I really wanted to, so took him up to the school.
I felt a sense of joy at being back onboard as he moved off with his long, lopey stride. I started to move him around, letting him use himself, move himself, stretch and relax. He was tuned in to me and he reacted quickly and smoothly to my requests because he was so relaxed. I moved him one way and then the other, lots of changes of direction, with just a feel on the rein, and moved his quarters with a light touch and a thought.

I groomed them all today. I enjoyed spending the time with them. I think they enjoyed the grooming, and especially liked the ear scratching.

Horses just want us to listen to them. Mostly, we're too busy speaking to listen.