The little things in life...

(cross posted from GRS Blog)


Paige and Bella


"Somewhere between the rider you once were and the rider you've become is a little girl who fell in love with a horse and never looked back. Ride for her."


I met that girl again today, and it was all thanks to Athena.

I rode her around the ring for a bit as some of my students wanted to see her go. She gave a pretty clear demonstration of going correctly versus being overbent. hahaha she's not strong enough to carry herself for long, but she'll get it for a few strides and then cheat. Not bad for a learning opportunity though. "This is good. This is not." hahaha

I also let her play a bit -- she's got a fairly huge stride when she wants it and it's fun to let her go. But while she was giving me long and short as requested and her transitions are getting better, the floaty huge trot I've felt before wasn't really there. She was good and I quite enjoyed her, but no wow factor.

Ok sobeit. Can't be brilliant every day. Finish up and go for a hack. Take her out to the field and let her trot. And *there* was the WOW.

Anybody ever taught, or even watched, a very young child in their first lesson? The GIANT grin on their face at the simplest of things - a horse walking or trotting under them... If you haven't had that opportunity, I'm sorry for you... But the picture at the top will give you a pretty good idea :)

Well this horse, out in the field, brought that back for me today. I was once more that young girl thrilled by the simplest thing - a horse trotting underneath me. And I'm still grinning hours later. It was... Absolutely incredible. And something about this mare just makes me smile.