First Lesson, Once Again

Riding

Awareness of the outside world. “It turns out late fees for books don’t work. They don’t bring the books back.” NPR, Morning Edition, Transcript: New York City’s public libraries abolish fines on overdue materials, October 7, 2021. “New York isn’t the only public library system that has implemented such policies.” NPR: The nation’s largest public library system is ending late fees forever, Young, October 5, 2021.
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The new barn has not filed a privacy preference plan, so I will be vague.

The lesson was exactly what I was looking for. Walk, trot, canter, and trotting crossrails on a school horse whose attitude can be summed up by, “Canter? Well, if you insist.”

At one point I released a deep breath. This was taken as a sign to drop from trot to walk.

I had a moment or two. Ducking one’s cute little head to bite at a fly on one’s chest can look a lot like ducking one’s head to commence hopping around like a wind-up toy. OTOH, I was bitten on the arm by one of the wicked flying things. School Horse was not wrong.

It was not the magical ride that I had on Sam all those years ago. [Sam I Am]

First, my first ride on Sam has grown to mythic proportions. The real ride is lit with the murky haze of memory, and colored by the subsequent eight years of riding and showing together. It can’t have been as magical as I remember.

Second, I am not climbing out of as much of a riding deficit. I’m still not where I wanted to be, but at least I’m on a horse on a regular basis.

My hope is that quiet, methodical rides will help me to remember that I know how to do this. Then, I will be able to come back to my own horses and be the adult in the room.

So far, so good. I am scheduled to go back today.

Stay safe. Stay sane.
Katherine