Soaking the sun into my every pore I opened my eyes to gaze up at the trees of the forest reaching up into the sky. The trees stretching almost as if they were trying to pierce the blanket of the sky. I listening to the sounds of the tree branches swaying against the wind, the occasional animal rustling in the bushes, and the sounds of hooves beating against the trail. I lay their stretched out along the back of my horse. Feeling the rhythmic sway of his hips lulling me to a light sleep. My legs hanging on either sides of his neck, my shoulder and head resting against the top of his rump. All proper etiquette long forgotten, only focusing on the sounds of the forest, the rhythm of my horse, and the feeling of the suns warmth on my skin. I lay …show more content…
Andy was a rather young EMT that was riding with my trail group. Still feeling slightly dazed from my nap I ask him, “What don't you understand?”
“I don't understand how you do it,” Andy replied quite curiously with a sour look on his face.
Feeling exasperated with his odd inquiry I said tactfully, “Andy I have no idea what you are talking about. If you have a point please get to it quickly.”
Rather than being insulted Andy looked almost amused with her bluntness. He then explained, “I don't understand how you put so much faith in your horse. You sleep splayed out on his back so all he would need to do is shake and you would fall off. Not even mentioning the fact that you are asleep meaning you have no control. He could have veered off path and you are so far behind no one in the group would even notice. I just don't understand how or even why you do it.”
Looking down at my horse I smile. My horse, Little Moon, was a gift and test from my grandfather. At the age of nine my horse was given to me with little professional riding experience and Little Moon absolutely none. Little Moon was the best gift I was ever given and the biggest challenge I have ever had. The catch of the gift of my horse was that I was to break and train him myself. But I wouldn't have traded it for the world. We learned everything together from, English to western, and jumping to gymkhana. Through learning and all our experiences together I had a trust …show more content…
While the rider might control the reins the horse will always be the ultimate control. We are all at the mercy of our horses reactions, no rider can fully predict what will happen so many riders try to control every aspect of the ride. Instead I ride with absolute trust in my horse. With the simple trust that he will not veer off path without my steering, and with the absolute trust of having my life at his mercy as I relinquished all control.” Then remembering her jab at my being asleep I continued with, “While I do admit relinquishing all control and even sleeping, I am not unaware. While I cannot see the path I can hear if he does start to veer off path at a section where the path is unclear to him I am able to steer him in the right direction by simply leaning my body. And I can sense changes in my horses emotion by the tension in his muscles or break in the rhythm of his gate. I am still aware of my surrounding so if need be I can take some control. Does that explain most of it for