Riding Horses on Vacation

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My wife Terry used to love to ride horses. She used to volunteer for the Police Equestrian Unit in Orlando riding the police horses  to make sure they got enough exercise. On a vacation to visit my family in Pennsylvania she went for a trail ride while I sketched the horses in the coral. She stopped riding abruptly when a police horse got spooked and threw her to the ground. She ended up with a huge bruise down her leg which had her limping for a week.Horse riders say that it isn’t a matter of “if” you will be thrown, but a matter of “when” you will be thrown. I have never trusted horses and I have never sat on top of a horse. I suspect they don’t have my best interests at heart.

 On a vacation to the Canadian Rockies this year, Terry once again went on a trail ride that went for miles up a muddy path to a glacier lookout. I stayed behind and did a sketch. The trail horses were super calm and she didn’t get thrown or injured. Perhaps as the saying goes, she is back in the saddle. The trail horses had Western saddles that have that horn to grab onto. The police horses have English saddles that leave a rider with nothing to grab if they loose their balance. Regardless of the saddle though, I still prefer to sketch horses rather than ride them.

Trick eats grass

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After her riding lesson Terry washed Trick and used a scraper to get most of the water off. She then let him wander about eating grass in the sunlight so he could dry off before going back in the barn. Trick left a sizable gift on the washing platform which had to be swept up and put in the portable poo bucket. These horses are truly pampered.
While I was sketching, Trick would chew the grass and kept stepping forward toward me. For whatever reason he must have thought that the grass right under my feet was the most delectable. I would back up a few steps and sure enough he would end up nibbling right at my toes.

M&M Equestrian Center

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Today Terry had another lesson at the Snow Kissed Stables, M&M Equestrian Center. It was a beautiful morning for a ride. For the first time the sweet smell of orange blossoms filled the air. Pink blossoms around the barn were just starting to bud. Spring is in the air. When Terry was in the barn getting Trick ready for the ride, I could hear her constant sneezing. She is allergic to the pollen in the air and I suspect she might be allergic to horses but that certainly will not stop or dampen her experience. Emily her instructor is patient and offers constant advice. She does practice tough love sometimes to make a point. She shouted out to Terry once, “See this pebble in my hand? I am going to throw it at you if you do not sit centered in the saddle.” Wouldn’t you know, Terry started riding centered in the saddle.

The Stable

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Terry’s weekend horse riding lessons continue. She started going to a new stable since it is closer to home and the lessons are cheaper. Terry’s new trainer, Stacy, is offering advice on every aspect of riding. The last trainer Terry had at the previous stable only shouted out “More legs, more legs!” Terry was never sure what he meant by that. The main thing I notice about this new stable is that there are no flies. Nothing makes sketching harder than having flies buzzing in your ears. I also like that this stable looks more like a traditional barn. There are 4H trophies and pictures everywhere that indicate that raising and riding horses has been in the family for a long time.