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Some Information and A Story

I’ve been inundating my blog with posts this past week. There’s a reason for that. First and foremost, I’m celebrating my speedy recovery from my hand infection and subsequent allergic reaction. I was having keyboard withdrawal.

The next reason is that on Friday, I’m closing this blog for the holidays. I’ll be back after the first of the year.

The New Year is also bringing change to my life. I’ve signed up for two online writing courses with Stanford University’s continuing education department. The first course is short story writing and the other course is writing memoirs. I’m already hard at work doing the required reading and I’m eagerly anticipating the challenge to my writing skills. I want to stretch my abilities and constantly improve. I’ve gotten to the point where I consider writing my craft and I want to master its art.

That’s my long winded introduction to today’s entry.

It’s almost a new year and while I know many of you, especially those with large families, are still busily preparing for Christmas, I have been reflecting about the year past and setting goals for 2009. One of the biggest changes in my life in 2008 was starting to ride again after a 35 year hiatus. It wasn’t smooth sailing that’s for sure. So, finally, we arrive at my story and although I wish I could say it is a product of my imagination and therefore fictional, it is a true account.

A Horse, Of Course

Next year, I have resolved to ride in a 25 mile endurance trail ride and finish. That’s my dream for 2009. What a difference a year makes.

Flash back to Spring, 2008. The mud is drying on the mountain and all I want is a horse. If you have read my early entries, you will know Mountain Man considers people who ride horses crazy. Although he can appreciate their beauty, he doesn’t understand why any sensible person would want to own one of those hay burners.

But, I was determined and he relented with a caveat.

“You can have a horse but you have to ride it home. No trailering, no nothing; you have to prove to me you can ride the horse.”

Ride the horse? Was he kidding? I rode for years, jumped anything no matter how high or how wide. Heck, I even thought I was a horse when I was a young child. There was no horse I couldn’t ride.

True, I had spent the past year off my feet thanks to the MRSA infection and subsequent RSDS. Yes, he was right, I had just gotten to the point where I was walking again and I still wasn’t back to normal. Yes, I had lost quite a bit of body strength but ride a horse; all I had to do was sit on the thing. Nothing to it. Piece of cake. Horses were in my blood.

I quickly located a sweet quarter horse mare not even a 30 minute trail ride away. Shadow belonged to a wonderful woman who is now a great friend and my trainer as well but at that time, we were strangers.

I spent a few days riding Shadow around Anna’s ring without any problem at all.

“Okay, Mountain Man, tomorrow is the day. I’m bringing Shadow home.”

Mountain Man drove me to Anna’s farm and I gave him a kiss and told him I’d be home soon.

Anna offered to ride with me.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine. It’s not even that far.”

“Yes, but I know the trails and there’s a quicker way. And, I’d love for the chance to get out and ride.”

Anna saddled her horse and off we went.

I was in 7^th heaven. I was on a horse’s back, not just any horse but MY horse. My horse coming home to my barn on my farm. Wow, I had lived 53 years for this day.

I was so busy with my own thoughts I barely noticed when Shadow stopped. I broke out of my reverie and noticed a brook in front of us. Anna and her horse were on the other side of the brook and she was waiting for me.

Now, this was no rushing river. It was a small, meandering body of water that looked quite pleasant but not to Shadow. She stopped and refused to move forward.

“Look where you’re going. Look straight ahead and she’ll go where your eyes are looking.”

Sounded good. I stared at the path beyond with an all knowing assurance we would begin to move.

Nothing. I guess Shadow was absent the day they taught horses this trick.

“Give her a gentle kick and look forward.”

Kick I did, gently.

Nope, we were still not moving.

“Gather up your reins, look where you want to go and kick her. She’ll go.” I could hear the frustration mounting in Anna’s voice.

If Shadow had turned into a rock, she couldn’t have been more still.

“Turn her around and then try again. This time remember to look where you are going.” Well, now I was getting frustrated. I sure wasn’t looking behind me. Gee.

Shadow wouldn’t turn, Shadow wouldn’t budge. Shadow wasn’t going anywhere.

Anna finally gave up, turned her horse around, rode over the creek again, latched onto my reins and led Shadow across. Shadow meekly followed her and we arrived safely on the other side of this tiny body of water.

Anna released my reins. Shadow turned her head to look at me and I could swear she was laughing.

We continued on through beautiful woods and gorgeous well groomed, wide trails belonging to the local Morgan horse farm.

“Do you want to trot for a while?”

“Sure, let’s go.”

Anna’s horse trotted off and Shadow immediately followed.

If you’ve ever ridden English, then you know you usually post when trotting. Up down, up down. Simple enough. A lovely motion in rhythm with the horse’s stride.

I started up and my body refused to go. My entire foot was numb and my leg was a mass of jelly. I couldn’t pull myself up that infinitesimal distance.

Quickly, I flashed on the idea of a sitting trot. Bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce and bounce some more I went. I swear I could hear Shadow groan.

“Oh, Anna, “ I shouted ahead at her quickly disappearing horse. “I think Shadow’s tired and we’ll just walk.

Anna slowed down and allowed me to catch up.

Whew, problem solved and Anna was none the wiser.

The ride was uneventful, walking along those beautiful trails, until we came to a narrow country road.

Whir, I hear a huge monster noise of a giant truck coming.

“Use your leg yield and push her over to the side. Get over as far as you can go.”

Leg yield, hmm, I remember that phrase from my ancient schooling days but I sure the heck don’t remember how to do it.

Fortunately, Shadow has an acute sense of preservation and promptly went over to the side of the road as far as she could go.

I had just once again caught my breath when we left the road for a large, open field. What a beautiful vista, long flowing grass surrounded us. Instantly, I was transported to visions of elysian fields.

Wham, my upper body hit the more pragmatic Shadow’s neck as she stopped for a snack.

“Pull her up, pull her up.” Anna groaned.

“I’m pulling, I’m pulling but I think she’s hungry.”

Anna now knew better than to argue so over she came and gave Shadow a whack on the rump. Zoom, off we went with me struggling to gather my reins.

Are we never going to see home again? How did it get so far away?

Finally, I recognized the trail to our house. I could breathe easy and relax.

While I was relaxing, Shadow decided she didn’t want to go to another home. She wanted her old home. Around she went and took off running; back to her familiar barn. I hung on and went with her.

“Okay, Shadow if you just slow down, I promise I’ll never make you do anything again.”

I bargained with her, upping the ante with every hoof beat.

From behind me, I could now hear Anna yelling.

“Pull her up, don’t let her get away with that. Make her stop.”

What, is she crazy? Does she think I’m enjoying this ride faster than the speed of light?

Anna passed me. Shadow slowed.

Anna grabbed my reins once again and led Shadow along.

Defeat, humiliation. I couldn’t even get this mare down the road.

At least it couldn’t get any worse. Our farm was in sight, there was the barn. Hurray!

We stopped. It was time for me to dismount. I tried taking my foot out of the stirrup but it wouldn’t budge. I couldn’t even feel I had a foot. Oh, what had happened to my foot?

“Are you okay?” the ever solicitous Anna asked.

“Sure, I’m fine.”

“Okay, then just dismount.”

I took what I thought was my foot out of the stirrup and even managed to get my other leg over Shadow’s side.

I let go and started to slide off.

I kept sliding and sliding and sliding. Where in the heck was the ground? It had to be coming up soon.

I slid some more and felt the earth. There I was underneath Shadow flat out on my rump.

I looked up at Anna who was gazing at me in disbelief. Shadow looked around at this crazy lady lying underneath her and I couldn’t help it. I started to laugh. My humiliation was complete.

Anna left and I’m sure she was wondering what in the heck she had done leaving her horse with a woman who couldn’t even manage to get off the thing.

I went into the house and there was Mountain Man waiting with dinner. What should have been a half an hour ride had taken two and one half hours.

“Did you have a good time?”

“Oh, yes, wonderful.”

“Was everything okay?”

“Oh, yes fabulous.” I sank into my chair. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to get up again.

I’ve come a long way since last spring.

I could tell you about the next trail ride Anna took me on where I screamed my head off as we hurtled down steep hills. “Stop screaming.” Anna yelled back. “You’re scaring Shadow.”

I’m scaring Shadow? What about me? Doesn’t this woman have any sympathy for us humans?

I was such a chicken back then and so tentative .

I can ride with confidence now. I’ve stopped screaming. I can cope with a rearing horse. I can blanket horses out in the field without having to put them in cross ties. I’ve listened to Anna, re-learned the basics and pushed on. I’ve been scared, I’ve been frustrated and I’ve been in pain but I never once thought about quitting

I shared with Anna my desire to compete in this endurance ride and she is my biggest supporter. I asked her what I can do this winter to keep working towards my goal.

Not one to mince words, she said, “Just keep working out. You need to keep running on the treadmill, exercising. Make sure you stay in shape because your horse will get back in shape lots quicker than you will at your age.

What would I do without that refreshing Yankee honesty?

I’m going to ride in that 25 mile ride and then the 50 and finally the 100 mile ride. I’m determined, going to do it. Just make sure there’s a mattress under the horse when I stop.

And, Anna, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without you, I’d still be back at the barn.