** Note ** A friend of mine sent the following to me in an email. I don't know who wrote it, wish I did. But it definately says a lot about riding and the women I know. It deserves a place here.
Lisa

I ride. That seems like such a simple statement. However as many women who ride know it is really a complicated matter. It has to do with power and empowerment. Being able to do things you might have once considered out of reach or ability.
I have considered this as I shoveled manure, filled water barrels in the
cold rain, waited for the vet/farrier/electrician/hay delivery,
changed a tire on a horse trailer by the side of the freeway,
or cooled a gelding out before getting down to the business of drinking a cold beer after a long ride.
The time, the money, the effort it takes to ride calls for dedication.
At least I call it dedication. Both my ex-husbands called it 'the
sickness'. It's a sickness I've had since I was a small girl
bouncing my model horses and dreaming of the day I would ride a real horse. Most of the wom en I ride with understand the meaning of 'the sickness'. It's not a sport. It's not a hobby. It's what we do
and, in some ways, who we are as women and human beings.
I ride.
I hook up my trailer and load my gelding. I haul to some
trail head somewhere, unload, saddle, whistle up my dog and I ride. I breathe in the air, watch the sunlight filter through the trees and savor the movement of my horse. My shoulders relax. A smile rides my sunscreen smeared face. I pull my ball cap down and let the real world fade into the tracks my horse leaves in the dust.

Time slows. Flying insects buzz loudly, looking like fairies. My
gelding flicks his ears and moves down the trail. I can smell his sweat and it is perfume to my senses. Time slows. The rhythm of the walk and the movement of the leaves become my focus. My saddle creaks and the leather rein in my hand softens with the warmth.
I consider the simple statement; I ride. I think of all I do because I
ride . Climb granite slabs, wade into a freezing lake, race a friend
through the manzanita all the while laughing and feeling my heart in my chest. Other days just the act of mounting and dismounting can be a real accomplishment. Still I ride, no matter how tired or how much my seat bones or any of the numerous horse related injuries hurt. I ride. And I feel better for doing so.
The beauty I've seen because I ride amazes me. I've ridden out to
find lakes that remain, for the most part, unseen. Caves, dark and cold beside rivers full and rolling are the scenes I see in my dreams. The Granite Stairway at Echo Summit, bald eagles on the wing and bobcats on the prowl add to the empowerment and joy in my heart.
I think of the people, mostly women, I've met. I consider how
competent they all are. Not a weenie amongst the bunch. We haul 40ft rigs, we back into tight spaces without clipping a tree. We set up camp. Tend the horses. We cook and keep safe. We understand and love our companions, the horse. We respect each other and those we encounter on the trail. We know that if you are out there riding, you also shovel, fill, wait and doctor. Your hands are a little rough and you travel with out makeup or hair gel. You do without to afford the 'sickness' and probably, when you were a small girl, you bounced a model horse while you dreamed of riding a real one.

"My treasures do not chink or glitter, They gleam in the sun and neigh in the night"

"The path to your horse's heart lies through your own."

"There are only two emotions that belong on the saddle; One is a sense of humor, and the other is patience."

Another great email someone sent me..........The purpose of having a foal.
Top 10 Spookey Things
A horse's point of view
10. Blowing Paper:
"At any moment it could whip up into our faces, covering our noses. We could suffocate. And don't try to tell us you'd do CPR."

9. Barking Dogs:
"What? You've never read Steven King's CUJO?"

8. Puddles of Water:
"Quicksand."

7. Trash Cans:
"They've been known to swallow horses and transport them into another dimension."

6. Babies and Li'l Kids:
"Long lost tribe of horse-eating pygmies."

5. Plaid Horse Blankets:
"Hey, when was the last time you wore plaid? It adds 100 lbs."

4. Ropes and Hoses on the Ground:
"Dreaded North American Trail Snakes."

3. Ponies:
"Cute, cleaver, hardy. They want to take over the world."

2. Windy Days:
"Two Words: impending tornado."

1. Carts and Wagons:
"Look. You put a human on our backs, we can always buck them off. But hitching a horse to a wheeled object? It's just not right."

GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO TAKE IN AS MANY HORSES AS POSSIBLE
THE COURAGE TO CONVINCE MY HUSBAND THAT THIS IS A GOOD THING
AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT ALL WORK

Just a Horse!



From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a horse,"
or,”that's a lot of money for just a horse".


They don't understand the distance travelled, the time spent, or the
costs involved for "just a horse." Some of my proudest moments have come about
with "just a horse."


Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a horse," but I did
not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about
by "just a horse," and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just
a horse" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.


If you, too, think it's "just a horse," then you will probably understand
phrases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise."
"Just a horse" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust,
and pure unbridled joy.


"Just a horse" brings out the compassion and
patience that make me a better person. Because of "just a horse" I will
rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future.

So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a horse" but an embodiment of
all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past,
and the pure joy of the moment.


"Just a horse" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away
from myself and the worries of the day.
I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a horse" but
the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being "just a woman/man."

So the next time you hear the phrase "just a horse" just smile, because
they "just" don't understand

All I Need to Know in Life I Learned From My Horse

1. When in doubt, run far, far away.
2. You can never have too many treats.
3. Passing gas in public is nothing to be ashamed of.
4. Pedicures are a necessity, not a luxury.
5. Ignore cues. They're just a prompt to do more work.
6. Everyone loves a good, wet, slobbery kiss.
7. Never run when you can jog. Never jog when you can walk. And
never
walk when you can stand still.
8. Heaven is eating for at least 10 hours a day... and then
sleeping the
rest.
10. Eat plenty of roughage.
11. Great legs and a nice rear will get you anywhere. Big, brown
eyes
help too.
12. When you want your way, stomp hard on the nearest foot.
13. In times of crisis, take a poop.
14. Act dumb when faced with a task you don't want to do.
15. Follow the herd. That way, you can't be singled out to take the
blame.
16. A swift kick in the butt will get anyone's attention.
17. Love those who love you back, especially if they have something
good
to eat.

This page was last updated: May 28, 2009
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Contact: Lisa Rettke
417-699-1359