Ever since I was a young girl I have loved horses, like so many young people do. If we’re lucky, that love stays with us lifelong and the really lucky ones get to be around them all the time...working with them, looking after them, even owning some.
My first time on a horse did not exactly turn out the way I’d envisioned. I had made a friend at boarding school in Dublin and when the summer holidays came, she asked if I could visit her at her home for a week. My parents happily shipped me off to a lovely country home where my friend’s parents had some horses. A couple of days later, we all met at the stables, I got introduced to a fine chestnut horse and soon was up on it’s back. Things were great at first. The horse walked out onto the beginnings of the fields and then following my friend’s horse, picked up speed on the downslope. Within seconds we were cantering...and I was bouncing. That’s when it all began to go wrong. I bounced right out of the stirrups and then was suddenly bouncing right off the back of the horse! The landing was ...memorable. I landed hard on my tush right in a big wet
cow patty...ugg!! That was the end of that riding lesson!
I did try a few more times during the next few days without incident and learned to keep my seat, pressure the horse with my knees and the reins, and canter a bit. It was years before I had the opportunity to ride a horse again...an older half trained stallion who kept trying to rub me off on the barn walls. I was bareback riding, since there was only a bridle but no saddle available. We had a few tussles over who was the boss, that horse and I!! I won most of the arguments. Other rides in later years were just “rent a horse” to ride marked trails and weren’t really memorable. Someday I hope to have the opportunity to ride again.
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT —
- You know how this works, but as always, a gentle reminder:
- Pooties are cats; Woozles are dogs. Goggies are dogs, too, and moggies are cats. Birds...are birds! Peeps are people. PWB Peeps are Pooties, Woozle, Birds People.
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It should not need to be said, but ANY/ALL photos that imply or encourage human violence against an animal will be considered verboten! Whether it is “comedic” or no
This week I’ve decided to post a picture homage to those majestic creatures, so enjoy!