Why Riding Will Set You Free

Sobbing, she pushes against his hind leg.  She peeks at me from behind dark hair to see if I've moved.  I haven't.

She tugs on him, leans on him, pulls on him, cries on him.  He doesn't seem to register.  If anything, he seems to focus more on his hay.  She gazes at me with her lips quivering and her eyes wet.

I have seen this look from almost every one of my students at one point or another, on the ground or off the ground.  It's a look of defeat, but it's a thousand times better than the look if I were to get up and do it for her.  Defeat can be overcome; if I taught the Littles that they couldn't do it themselves, I'd have taught them that they are powerless and incapable.

"I.. Can't." A sniffle breaks her words.

"Yes, you can.  Look at the other three legs!  You did those awesome."

I don't know how long it took her, but she did it.

She overcame defeat and picked out all four feet!  (College is doing wonders for my writing!  ... No?)

And yeah, you've probably guessed it: This story has a moral and it doesn't have to do with your underwear choices or not being a stupid teenager.  It's a simple truth, and it's the reason I keep coming back to riding.  It's one of the most important reasons why I teach.

Riding will set you free.  No, that's a lie; there's so much more to this than the minutes your ass has been in a saddle.
Being an equestrian will set you free.

You develop a sense of humor for every time you've eaten dust.  You find independence because no one sits in your saddle but you.  You learn that you control your own path. And yeah, you may have to deal with a bratty partner once in a while, but your success depends on your ability to win them over and compromise.  You find that life isn't painless, and sometimes, you're going to have to hurt for what you want. 
Sometimes, you have to learn that you won't get what you want.

Most of all, though all of these lessons add to this, you learn this one beautiful truth.  So simple, so freeing...  All defeat can be overcome.

You are limited only by your lack of imagination.
And a Dover Saddlery catalog.

love,
Girl