PEOPLE WHO ARE VIOLENT TO ANIMALS RARELY STOP THERE!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Giddy-up!

As much as I love horses and think they are one of the most beautiful and  majestic creatures on this earth ( of course right after the donkey), I have never been on a big horse, or have been around them much, and every single time I was around them it usually was accompanied by a little drama that just made me more scared of them or maybe I should say made me respect them and their power so much more. One thing on my life list (bucket list) was horseback riding either on a trail or on a beach. It was just something I always wanted to do, it looked like so much fun and just so beautiful and relaxing and serene, just being one with nature. I picked up my P.I.C and we met up with two friends at work and were heading out from there on our adventure. Well everybody was excited, including me to a degree, my anxiety and fear of what we had planned for weeks were finally getting the best of me. While everybody was bopping to the music and chit chatting I got my usual quiet self before something "horrific". We arrived at our destination and while everybody went for a pee break I was trying to calm my nerves, by pacing back and forth. We had to sign some papers and everybody was now really getting excited. I was still pacing for a while and then there they came....Charlie...Red Eagle....Maggie and Rosie. Four beautiful horses all ready to go on an hour long trail ride. Now I was really getting scared,  I could have come up with tons of reason why not to do it and only one for why to do it, which was because I so wanted to....,oddly enough I was the first one on the horse and omg I was so scared, it was high up and felt so easy to fall off from, and I am thinking I am not gonna survive this. Once everybody was on their horses, we followed Bob our trail leader. Well jokingly I asked the woman that let my horse out onto the trail if she could walk with me hanging on to the horse for the entire trail lol, and she said she walk with me down the hill and then I was on my own. Thank God Charlie was a really good horse, the only unsettling thing was that he had to chase flies of him ever so often, which made him jerk a little, but after a few minutes I was pretty comfortable on him. We rode down a gravel hill, through a little creek and up to a big meadow, went around it and then on a narrow trail through the woods, with up and downhill areas. I was right behind Bob, so that made me feel a little bit secure too, but I had Red Eagle right on my butt the whole time, well unless he stopped for a snack on the side of the trail, but I told him, if Charlie was a donkey he would have been toast a long time ago. It was an absolute beautiful trail, and Charlie was such a good trail horse, pretty much self stirring. While some of the others were taken through some wild bushes by their horses, Charlie followed Bob pretty much to the T. I actually made him go sometimes of the straight trail to add a little bit more excitement....:).... then it was time to return to the stables and Charlie, well Charlie got a mind of his own, and wanted to take a little circle before heading up the gravel road, well actually he didn't want the gravel road eiter but preferred a tiny narrow path beside it, and well I thought he would know what he is doing, so I let him and we arrived safely at the stables. Phew! By now my anxiety ridden face had a big smile on and I want to do it again and again. And we have made plans for a fall ride at the same trail. Can't wait, it will be so beautiful. OMG it was so much fun.
My view from where I was sitting! 


 Charlie and I!

After our adventure we went out for dinner and had a good time just chit chatting and planning our next outings. It was a really great way to  spend a Saturday afternoon and early evening. Can't wait to do it all over again. Who would have thought that lol....not me.....but I am so happy to cross one more thing of my life list. Woo hoo! This was huge for me! 


10 comments:

Louise said...

Yeee Hawwww! Good for you! Next thing we know you'll be taking riding lessons, and then you'll own your own horse. And, I'll have a nice Thoroughbred all lined up for you! ;-D

And, I had to laugh when I heard "Rawhide." It's been decades since I heard that song, and watched the program, but, there I was, singing right along with it.

I love that last picture. You're a very beautiful woman.

Tracey said...

What a lovely thing to do! You're right it is respect that you have to have for them, some of them are right buggers! xxx

Sharon said...

I like to watch the horses, running in the field or grazing. We had a palomino when I was a kid, so I learned to ride real young. I also learned I am allergic, but I still enjoy watching them.

Glad you enjoy it! I know you feel a little precarious in the saddle at first, but if you're a good fit and so is the saddle, riding horses can be a very relaxing thing to do. I'm glad you got over your fears about it! Everything is like that, nothing to get anxious about, well, maybe sky diving......

Pumpkin said...

Good for you Tina!!!! Great picture of you and Charlie :o) I miss riding so much :o(

Kerry said...

Good for you Martina, Maybe we can go sometime. Glad you had a good experience, horses are wonderful. I so miss riding, I did so much of it when I was younger. Horses were always in my life. My Grandfather bought a pinto pony when I was five and I always had horses when I was a teenager.

Cat said...

Sounds like an adventure. I have always been very timid around horses, (had several bad experiences with them as a kid), but I think I might have even enjoyed that!

Rawhide... Going to have to get that for my mp3 player! Love it!

Cat

Tina said...

Louise-Rawhide was playing at the stables over the ground loudspeakers. ....Well I have actually contemplated to take a few riding lessons now, just to get more comfortable on the horse and kind of be a little bit more knowledgeable if certain situations arise and what to do...having my own horse was always a dream, but not one that would be reality ever, unless I win the lottery and can buy a farm. .Thanks for the compliment...made me smile because me and beautiful don't go into the same sentence. But thank you.:)
Tracey- yes some of them can be a little bit scary, I was really so happy to have such a good horse and he made the experience amazing...not sure how it was for him lol
Sharon- I do love watching horses too, I usually pull over on the side of the road if I see some in the fields.As for skydiving well that is definitely not on my life list.
Pumpkin- It really was so much fun, and thanks for the complement and maybe you should go out an go riding again...I can definitely see how that can become addictive and something you want to do over and over again.
Kerry- yes we should, you were so lucky to have had horses in your life for all those years.
Cat- I bet you would enjoy it. I was so scared partially because of some mishaps when I was younger... and because they are mighty big and powerful animals.

sunset pines farm said...

so glad you did this!
We love to ride horses when we are up in the mountains...and down at the beach. My two favorite spots for horseback riding, ever.

Inger said...

I just LOVE it when you take these things on. And a horseback ride is no small thing, it can be really scary, at least ahead of time. Good for you, I can't wait to hear about the next one. Hope that wasp sting gets better.--Inger

Tina said...

Polly- I bet it is really beautiful riding in the mountain or the beach, the beach ride is definitely something I would love to do...
Inger- Thanks, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared, I haven't been scared like this for a very long time, but so happy I mastered it...and want to do it again. Wasp sting is still itchy as hell and my thumb is really swollen and hot to the touch...oh well I live lol.