These videos are kind of hard to really see, but the horses and riders are poetry!
No Bridles!
I haven't ridden in a couple of years now. I try not to think about it because it's really an ache that never goes away, but if you don't think about it too much it doesn't hurt too bad.
When I watch this, though, I can just feel what it would be like to have that kind of a ride. Yeah, that's right, no reins. Here's an even better one!
Wow, how many years has it been since I tried some of this?
Not like these of course. This is the top of the class. It is a lot of fun to be working on this kind of thing though. When you and your horse are really a team and you both enjoy what you are doing and you are doing it for each other. There aren't very many partnerships that work that well.
I doubt I'll ever be able to own another horse, but there are many really special ones in my past.
Dude, my buddy and my mental health, until he was stolen.
Luke, my baby and big boy. He was such a nut! He really knew how to have a good time. If he's still out there somewhere he's seventeen. Unbelievable.
We had ponies and draft horses. We had crazy mental cases that people gave us because they were impossible.
TJ, who had been abused and hated anyone who came in his field, but he would give you the nicest ride if you were on his back!
Our little Penny, that Nina had for a couple of years. She was slow but she was such a good friend.
Old Buttons, who was 32 when we got her, as far as anyone knew. She used to fall down a lot. Great for teaching you balance.
Hot Rod, an Appaloosa of questionable intellect. I don't even know if his heart was in the right place. Dad had fun with him though.
Goldenboy, the wickedest pony west of the Elwha river.
And my dear Shoene, who was my first teacher and really "broke" me in!
Rio, who taught me so much about friendship and hard work and whom I loved dearly.
We did lots of competing and he was always game.
I think I learned more from all of these teachers than any of the two-legged ones in the classroom.
Thanks Mom and Dad. It was the greatest!
