Slipping back

I went back in time today.........

When I was a child I lived on Jett Road near Chastain Park.
All I wanted was a horse, that's really all I ever wanted.
My parents could not afford a horse at the time.
Do you know how much those things eat!?!
Well it's a lot

Anyway, at the end of my street was the Horse Park.
I started walking down there and meeting people.
Most of the girls were mean and could really care less about my
interest in horses.
But then I met Ann.
Ann rode a big chestnut names Princess.

She taught me how to clean (muck) a stall, collect and clean tack and overall
stable maintenance.
She taught me how to groom Princess.
How to bathe her, clean her hoofs, how to move about her huge body safely.

Eventually other riders took notice and started to ask me to help with
grooming or mucking.

I was happy to help. I just wanted to be there, to talk to and be around the horses.

The day finally came when Ann decided I was ready to ride Princess.

I was terrified.
I knew this horse, she new me, but it was really really scary.

I fell off.

Yup, walking, just walking....I slipped right out of that saddle and hit the ground.......hard.
I did not have my 'seat" as they say.

Both Ann and Princess turned to look down at me.

Ann asked if I was ok......Princess seemed to have a look on her face that said "really"

Not Princess but that's the look

I got back up.

I eventually got my own horse, a rescue I named Jewel.
She hated to ride but loved to run.
I have never become a great rider but I am a self proclaimed horse woman and today convinced me that is indeed true.

I went back to Chastain Horse Park today.
The park is very different.......but still the same.
The old stable on the hill is now open on both sides and painted a clean crisp white.
The small stable close to Wieuca has been replaced with a paddock.
The original track is now a jumping ring with a beautiful clubhouse at one end......but it's still the same place.

Walking from the new "party barn" up the hill to the back paddocks was surreal.
The sounds, the smells......it only took a few steps.....but suddenly I was 12 years old again and walking that same hill I walked on all those years before.

When they brought "Sachmo" out to demonstrate grooming technique, I instinctively reached out to let him smell me and spoke in that soothing baby talk "it's ok" "good boy, good boy".
Horses are very sensitive creatures, they need a lot of leadership and reassurance.
They are a lot like giant dogs that can crush you.

What started out as a morning visit turned into an all day stay.
There were many times today that I became emotionally overwhelmed.
But I kept it together.

time travel is exhausting.