Smiles all around!
One of the greatest pleasure in my life is to have the pleasure to introduce horse crazy little girls to their dream horses, and on Sunday I got the opportunity to do just that with 3 of our lovely steeds and 11 little brownies (girl scouts). I really enjoyed the kiddos. We had about a 30-45 minuite talk about horses and then they all got to ride with a saddle, and then they got to ride bareback. I love hearing the peals of laughter that come out of the little girls when they get to trot for the first time. Or even the look of concentration on their faces as they meticulously brush the horses. It is so refreshing to spend that kind of time with horses, with that pure admiration. Sometimes as we grow older we forget why we began this adventure in the first place. I just love my job because I get to experience it over and over through other kids.
Today I had some distractions in my life and I sat on the couch simply lounging in my own misery I realized what I needed most in my life was to ride, to erase everything but the feeling of a horse underneath me. I rode Looker today, had a wonderful ride, worked on some leg yeilding and some major bending. By the end of the ride he was reaching so far underneath himself that it felt like he was ten feet tall, it is such an incredible feeling when a horse can literally just read your mind because he knows you so well. Looker is that horse for me, he and I spent all summer really getting to know one another and literally the moment I even think canter, he is rising up into the most perfect gait, feels like he is rising up to tak off into the clouds. Basically a hard workout was exactly what both of us needed. By the end of the work he and I were both sweating profusly and breathing hard. But also by the end of the work he felt so maliable in my hands that any little cue caused beautiful tension in his muscles, just waiting for my command. I gave him a good grooming, which I have grosly been neglecting. There is something very calming about brushing a horses tail until it is butter in your hands. Sometimes it takes a little step back, to see the horse in the eyes of a child, and to just spend some time with a favorite horse.
Looker today after our work, looking for a cookie as usual.
The Sunset tonight from the barn, beautiful.
Just Taboo, he is so photogenic!
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Just in case this thing says "Anonymous says"...this is Elizabeth! I love this piece. I was always the horse crazy little girl who pretended my bike was a horse but I never really got the indulge in my little girl horse craziness until I came to Lynchland. I feel like we be each others cheerleaders in both the realm of adulthood (relationships, proper riding techniques, etc) but also in the realm of childhood (learning to un-think, riding our horses backwards, doing around-the-world, and even jumping off the butt of our horses...well maybe that last one is just me!). I admire how you can teach and re-teach, and re-teach the same thing all day! You are a gifted young woman and I am so happy to call you a friend:)
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