My Little Adventure Trying to Ride
So, I got this idea in my head a while back. Wanted to try something different, you know? Something real. Saw folks riding horses, looked kinda majestic, peaceful even. Figured I’d give it a shot. People told me it wasn’t like driving a car, more like trying to lead a dance with someone way stronger and with their own ideas. Sounded like a challenge, I guess I was up for it.
First time actually getting up on one… well, it’s higher than you think. Felt kinda wobbly up there. The instructor was saying all this stuff, “heels down,” “sit tall,” “gentle hands.” Easy for her to say. I just gripped the reins probably way too tight. We started walking, slow like. Felt every single step the horse took. It wasn’t smooth dancing, more like trying not to fall off a moving couch that could decide to bolt any second.
Getting the Hang of It? Not Really.
Went back a few times. Each time, a bit of a struggle. One day, we were supposed to be doing this simple circle thing. Easy, right? Nope. The horse, bless its heart, just decided it wanted to stare at a particularly interesting patch of grass. Just stopped. Dead stop. I tried nudging, tried what the instructor told me. Nothing. Felt pretty stupid, sitting there while this massive animal was basically ignoring me. It wasn’t exactly a partnership, felt more like I was just baggage it was tolerating.
- Tried to be firm. Didn’t work.
- Tried to be gentle. Didn’t work.
- Tried just sitting there hoping it would get bored. Eventually, it did, but not because of me.
It kinda reminded me of this project I was stuck on last year. This thing at work, just wouldn’t move forward. Pushed here, pulled there, tried all sorts of approaches. Felt like I was wrestling with something huge and stubborn that just wouldn’t cooperate. You think you’re leading, but you’re really just reacting, trying to keep up.
Stepping Back a Bit
Then, life kinda got in the way. Had to deal with some family stuff for a few weeks, couldn’t make it to the stables. When things settled down, I thought about going back. Stood there looking at my riding boots. Honestly? The thought of getting back on and feeling that lack of control again… wasn’t appealing right then. It wasn’t really the horse’s fault. It was doing horse things. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right headspace for that particular dance.
Haven’t been back since, actually. Maybe I will someday. Maybe not. Learned something though. It’s not always about making things bend to your will. Sometimes you just gotta accept that some things are big, powerful, and have a mind of their own. You can try to work with them, find a rhythm, but you gotta respect them. And sometimes, you just gotta know when to step off the dance floor for a bit. Just how it is.
