Do You Hear What I Hear?

The rich fragrance of molasses and hay assaulted my nose as I entered the dimly lighted barn. The horses whinnied and shuffled in their stalls as I walked down the center isle, the clicking of my boots echoing off the high rafters of the loft above. At the end stall one horse in particular was making a big fuss, kicking up dirt and hay. There was grit in my teeth and an earthy taste from the dust I inhaled with every breath. The horse's panicked voice was muffled by a metal restraint he had about his nose. While keeping my eyes on the horse I undid the cool metal latch of the stall door and let myself into the small space. My fingers quickly wrapped around the rough nylon of his halter and pulled his head towards me. With one hand still holding the halter, I used my other to undo the too-tight straps of the muzzle and let the contraption fall to the ground with a thud. First thing he did was wrench away from me and go out the back door and start grazing. Obviously, some horses just can't be trained to wear a muzzle.

Take a Hike!

Training a horse is quite a hike. The long and widing path leads towards the sumit of a very tall mountain of achievement. You cannot just pick up a backpack and a water bottle and take off into the woods, expecting everything to work according to plan. You need experience. You need a partner. Your horse is your partner in this hike. Together the two of you desensitize yourselves to the wilds of nature, and train yourselves for the physical challenge of taking on this rocky road. As the days go on, both you and the horse find the hike is becoming easier as you both start to bond with one another more and more. Each twist and turn in the path presents a new obstical, and each new obstacle brings you closer together. Before you know it, you ride out of the forest upon your new best friend into the clearing at the top of this large mountain, and all thats left is to do is enjoy the view. The work is now behind you, and you and your horse can now enjoy the rest of the journey.

My Fault?

After my horse came back from the trainers, it was my job to continue her training and ride her often to further desensitize her to the riding process. One of the days we were out it was very windy and the trees in the paddock we were riding in were rustling about. Gracie, my mare, didn't seem to notice the chaotic disturbance though, and simply plodded along as I made her go in circles around the fenceline. Suddenly, as we passed a large tree and the wind picked up again, Gracie spooked and began bucking wildly. Unable to regain my seat, it didn't take long for me to hit the ground as the horse continued to thrash wildly above me. Her hooves landed on either side of my head and body. One of her hind hooves kicked my leg as she galloped off, flipping me over and ripping my jeans. Thankfully she slowed to a stop once she got to the other side of the paddock, and I was able to capture her before the pain in my leg overwhelmed me. The horse seemed to be as calm as ever after the ordeal, but the shock and pain of my injury has kept me from riding her ever since. I may never know if it was the wind, tree, or simply my lack of balance that set her off on a bucking spree, but whatever the influence, I ended up on the ground, with a nasty kick mark to my thigh, and a nervousness of riding this particular horse.