Just like riding a bike...kind of

After nine years pretending that horses didn't exist, that I didn't miss riding, convincing myself that I didn't need or want that in my life again....I rode a horse!

Some background...when I was young and we were living overseas, I started riding. We moved to Texas, I started riding more and more. My parents bought me a horse for Christmas one year....yes, I really was one of those kids that got a horse for Christmas. He was delivered to my door (in a large subdivision) on Christmas Day with a bow on him. Pretty much the BEST present ever! I loved my horse Glory so much...and I wish I had a picture of him on my computer or one I could scan but they are all in storage. He became more than just a horse. He was a friend, part of our family and like my first child. We spent so much time together between lessons, hanging out and taking care of him. I would spend endless hours just sitting in his stall and talking with him, brushing him. Well, unlike children, there came a time when I had to sell him. We sold him just before I left for college and then I stopped riding. It was weird to go from riding constantly to nothing. It was a hard time but eventually I just saw that as a part of my life that no longer exists. I moved past it. I stayed away from anything involving horses and found other hobbies such as running and started running half marathons and filled my time with new interests.

So...now we live 3 minutes away from a riding stable. Until now I avoided the whole place and just told myself that it was something we couldn't do right now. Well the other day while having breakfast I started a conversation with a lady and it turned out to us talking about riding and my history. She is looking for someone to lease her horse and asked if I was interested and if so to try him out for a couple weeks and to see if we are a good fit. There is lots to think about whether we want to go forward with the responsibility of a lease and there is a whole lot to discuss about whether that is a good option for us but I am starting out small with taking some lessons before I leave and tonight I was able to ride just for fun. I was supposed to just go out and discuss the lease options/details but while I was there she asked if I wanted to go ahead and ride.   

It was so much fun! I was nervous but within minutes I felt like I never stopped. I had a blast! It was such a relaxing, fun, refreshing time. It all came back so easily and I loved it. I always hoped that it would be easy to pick up and all those years I put into training, lessons and countless hours at the barn but there was a small part of me that was so worried that I would forget it. But thankfully it came back and I felt comfortable and natural. 

I have my first lesson on Tuesday morning and then I will try and have a couple more before we leave to help see if this is something I can fit into our lives and what it would look like. I don't know what the future looks like but tonight was just amazing!