Horseback Lessons

The echoing sound of hooves beating against the dirt, a heart beat racing in a mirrored time, sweat forming across a brow, and focus that reflects that of a chess player, methodically selecting his next move - this is horseback riding. It has been my life since the age of eight when, after trying every other sport, riding struck a chord inside my heart. Soon it became my life, my obsession, and I was spending any extra moment at the barn learning all that I possibility could about horses. This mentality continued over the years, as I went from attending camp to instructing others my age about the information I had learned. As soon as I was able, I was working at the barn and caring for the horses, which has been my annual summer job. It is
In all sports, one must practice and be dedicated in order to succeed; however, riding invokes something that is truly unique to the sport alone- that is the connection that must be formed between horse and rider. In horseback riding the horse and rider must understand one another, and they depend upon one another, blindly putting their ultimate faith in the other. There is nothing simple about leading a creature with his or her own mind around a ring filled with unfamiliar objects. It is just as foreign to them as it would be to us, but when that bond is formed nothing can be stronger; there is no division as both bodies move in sync and in the same mindset. It is an equal partnership, as I am responsible for my horse just as he is responsible to me; it bonds us and makes us
I opted to look solely at young horses without much training as a way to further my development as a rider. In the end, I wound up with a six year old warm-blood named Destination. The addition of a young horse brought many trials and tribulations. There were days that were so difficult, nothing definitive was accomplished; I considered giving up. Many times it felt as if we only continued to take two steps backwards and never neared that crucial step forward. However, the missteps taught me a valuable lesson that I had never considered before; failing is not truthfully failing, it is only a step in the tumultuous path towards the future. Even on the hard days, we were strengthening our bond. I came to realize that when we made it around a course, even if it was not perfect, it was a small