Oops & Cringes #9 - more horses

Pippa, my gorgeous first horse

After last week, you'd be forgiven if you thought I never rode again. But I did. I was given my very own horse - through Pony Club - and she brought me such joy for about a year, and I learned to ride...but I still wasn't all that flash!

I was between horses. My childhood dream of owning a horse was cut short when my first horse got cancer at aged 7, and had to be put down. My heart wasn't just broken it was shattered into a bazillion pieces and stomped all over.

My horsey friends rallied. They knew that horses died and broke your heart, but they also knew that it didn't break you, and there'd be another horse. Until then, they made me ride and be around horses.

Ed was a veteran cutting horse, over twenty, who had won more events than I would ever know. A quiet, unassuming little Appaloosa mare who was easily the best horse I'm ever likely to ride.

Ed was smooth. Her gait was so easy it was like she wasn't moving. Cantering usually terrified me, but Ed's canter was like being on a rocking horse...and those Western saddles sure helped!

I rode Ed a few times out on a trail ride after I'd had a few lessons in the paddock. We got along well. Ed knew more than I did, and she appreciated that I understood that. She wouldn't canter unless I was balanced and sitting deep in the saddle. I could ask her to canter all I liked but she'd only do so when I was doing the right thing. With Pippa, my first horse, I schooled her over and over until she got things right...well, Ed did that to me.

Ed was so good, I think if I was falling off, she would have sidestepped to catch me up again.

One day, B and V, Ed's owners, suggested I help out with some cattle work. They had a dozen new steers they wanted to move and thought it would be a different bit of riding for me. I was keen for anything they'd teach me.

B & V were doing the majority of the work on young horses they were training. I was bringing up the rear on Ed. It was pleasant, interesting to watch them push their horses. And then a steer broke for the mob and Ed fairly rippled beneath me. It was all the warning I had but I heeded it.

I hung on, while Ed did what she was trained to do. She spun, she sidestepped, she danced, she cantered, and she cornered this steer, spun him, and herded him back to the mob. It was the most exhilarating ride of my life. I did nothing but hang on and try to remain balanced, Ed did everything, including keeping me on her back.

I was almost whooping when we got back with that rogue steer. B and V were open mouthed. They couldn't believe how good we'd looked - and that I was still on! I wish I could take some credit but I can't. I know I was there only because Ed was happy to have me with her...and God was looking favourably on me that ride. It was a ride made in heaven!