For one to fly, one needs only to take the reins. Melissa James
Horses lend us the wings we lack. Pam Brown
I am still under the impression that there is nothing alive quite so beautiful as a horse. John Galsworthy
The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit and freedom. Sharon Ralls Lemon
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Tall, powerful, mystical. Horses.
As a young girl, I read stories about horses, about brave heroines riding into and out of danger on noble, spirited steeds. I dreamed of what it would like to ride one—to feel the wind in my hair and to have the long cape I would of course be wearing billowing behind me in the wind. My horse would be an appaloosa—I liked the idea of spots. She would be loyal, brave, and true, and we would move as one.
But it was not until my late 20s that I actually went on my first horseback ride. While visiting Colorado Springs, my husband and I decided to take a trail ride through the Garden of the Gods. What better way to see a magnificent park than on a magnificent animal?
As always my first question was, what should I wear? Since I had no cape or boots, I settled for a tee shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes.
Excited but nervous, I listened carefully as the wranglers talked to our group. The main guy asked us who had ridden before. I look around at the raised hands and swallowed. For most everyone else, including the children, this was not their first rodeo.
Well, everybody’s gotta learn, right?
The lead wrangler gave us some basic instructions, handed out our helmets, and told us to saddle up. He would give us more information when everyone was ready. Then the assistant wranglers went about choosing horses for people. I was given a brown female who seemed very tall, like the other ones. Her name was Sally.
“Sally is old and very tame,” said the cowboy helping me. “She likes to stop and graze along the way so make sure you don’t let her do that.”
As I sized her up, he gave me instructions on how to show her I was boss. Then he showed me how to put my foot in the stirrup, which of course I already knew because of all the movies I’d seen, and told me to swing my leg over. So I did. He handed me the reins and walked off to help someone else.
I noticed how far I was off the ground and how odd it felt to have a large animal under me.
And suddenly, before I even knew what was happening, Sally shifted her weight and puffed out a breath. She was moving! I was moving! And I was so surprised by the sensation that, well, I confess I freaked out a little.
“Um, hey! Excuse me!” I called out to the world in general. “She’s moving! Is she supposed to be moving?”
After all, I didn’t know anything. What if she took off and dragged me in the dirt for miles?
No one came to my rescue. My husband was out of earshot, and I am pretty sure I heard some snickering—from the workers or the horses, I don’t know.
I began to feel very alone.
On the trail, Sally was a stubborn old girl with a mind of her own. True to her reputation, she did stop and eat some plants along the way instead of following the horse in front of her. We held up the line a time or two, but I began to get the hang of telling her no. Whether she was convinced by my newfound authority or by her own full stomach, she started paying attention to me and moved along.
I remember that the scenery in the park was amazing, like nothing I had ever seen before. I wish I had some photos of it to share, but I was too busy holding onto the reins to pull out a camera. The summer sky was a brilliant blue, a perfect backdrop for the huge red rock formations that we wound our way past.
When the ride was over, I waddled away from Sally, glad to be on solid ground again, and very glad she never went fast enough for me to feel the wind in my hair.
Despite that less than dreamy experience, whenever I see a horse, I still feel a little wistful. They are truly magnificent animals, with an almost otherworldly quality.
But I am content to admire them from afar, speak to them over the fence, and watch them run in movies. And I will leave the riding to the experts.
What do you think of horses? Have you ever been to the Garden of the Gods? I’d love to know. Leave me a comment below.
At Glimsen, I share glimpses of the beauty around us in nature, the arts, and the unexpected. Click the green button below to get my posts delivered to your inbox once a week, and you'll also get a little printable gift of beauty just for signing up.
