My soul is most grateful to be alive in autumn. When the leaves and the fields turn the striking color of gold, the days are warm but not unbearably hot like summer. Every evening is turning colder. The ponies are getting fuzzier, warning us that winter is on our heels. This evening in Geraldine is the quintessential autumn evening. It was the perfect time to sneak away on my horse.
The stresses of daily life, marriage, parenting, vocation, health and finances all seem to add straws to the camel. It can be hard to remember to be grateful. It can be hard center myself and find any peace. Except when I'm on the back of my horse.
Riding can be done many different ways. But in order to ride as well as our horses deserve, I believe we have to be in the present moment with them. We can't allow ourselves to be wrapped up in the problems of the other parts of our lives. The argument we had, the grief our child is giving us, worrying about our job. It all has to leave our minds while we ride. When we are in the present with our horses we can focus on their movements and allow our bodies to move with them and find our perfect center of gravity. We can react with them when a pheasant explodes out of the tall grass, under their nose. We can sense them looking into the distance at the heard of antelope that concerns them instead of waiting to be surprised at the crest of a hill. If we stay in the present moment things tend to go a whole lot better.
So tonight I'm grateful for the opportunity to be brought back to the present. To have the chance to wander down a dirt road among the turning leaves and the tall, dry grass. To listen to the breath of my horse and let him restore my sanity for another day....
