So I thought I might bring you up to speed here as we transport ourselves approximately 20 years after the picture in my previous post was taken. I will certainly be hopping back and forth but I thought there was no need to stick to a chronological order. Here’s hoping our flux capacitor still has some juice left.
I currently take riding lessons at the lovely barn you see on the right hand side of my blog page. I have a 45 min dressage lesson every Wednesday evening. I very much adore this little place for more than one reason. Size is actually a big issue to me- I want it to feel like my instructor knows me and can remember my name, face, and all my quirks. I have ridden at bigger barns and smaller barns but this one is juuuuuust rii…. wait a minute. Not true. I had a really good thing going at the tiny barn (more on that later) but all said and told, this barn is pretty darn perfect. They take impeccable care of their horses and maintain quite a lovely herd. I can appreciate that their horses are of many different shapes, sizes, temperaments, skill levels, and breeds because, while every horse is different in so many ways, you don’t get a chance to experience it first hand if you own or ride only one horse. I also like this barn because it is fairly close to my house, they have reasonable prices, and the instructors are talented and friendly.
After graduating college I now have more time to indulge my horsey whims which I do twice a week. I often wish it was more than that even though it takes somewhat of a toll on my social life. (rapidly approaching zero anyway since leaving the city…but that’s beside the point) I want to tell you about both of my designated horse nights moving forward in this blog but I thought I’d set the stage so you wouldn’t feel like I was flip-flopping like a cornered politician.
Wednesday night I have my dressage lesson where I put on some half chaps to hide the kilties on my boots and try not to canter over my lesson mates as I desperately half-halt (whatever THAT is). Please try not to be too hard on me here, I intend to be fully honest with you and lord knows right now I am, despite my best efforts, making stuff up as I go, screaming aids instead of asking politely, and generally bouncing around trying to find that ever-elusive SEAT everyone keeps talking about. My intentions are good and hopefully someday I can look back on this post and think “shew…you’ve come a long way, baby!”
Thursday nights mark a very different equine experience. I volunteer at a therapeutic horseback riding facility for children and adults with disabilities called We Can Ride. It has been my therapy…er…I mean I have been volunteering there for about six years now. It changed me- more on this later. I am currently a Barn Aid for Thursday evening’s class which means I run around like a chicken with my head cut off and try to groom and saddle about 15 horses in time for their classes. Nuts. But great.
Guess what night it iiiis?? That’s right! Lesson post coming tomorrow.
swl
EquiNovice 