Horseback Riding
Sometimes when it is time for a memory I just cannot force one, and sometimes memories flow freely. Today, my memory banks are not flowing, but rather one memory keeps popping up in my mind. Since it seems to be eager to be told, I suppose that is exactly what I will share. In high school, I camped with a good friend and her family for a week during the summer. The preferred camp ground was Cades Cove in the Smokey Mountains. We had a blast each year exploring the area with all of its’ wonders.
We would walk or ride bikes around the loop, which was a grueling eleven miles. My friend’s father would drive around the loop to check on our progress several times, always asking if we wanted to ride. It was always comforting to know he was ever alert for our safety. In those years we thought we were invincible to danger. Now, I realize why he was so vigilant. To us it was simply a challenge and we readily embraced it.
One summer, we were especially bored and decided to add a new challenge to our routine. We discovered there were horse rides that could be taken, that looped around the mountain. Now, I must interject here, that we had never even mounted a horse, and certainly not ridden one. But, with youthful bravado, we preceded to take the challenge. We were introduced to the horses that our guide selected for us. Apparently, he felt they were best for beginners to the riding world. Mounting the saddles was a giggling trip, as it was not as easy as what was seen on western shows. Our guide even gave a few chuckles, as he watched and instructed our approach to mounting the horses. As cheerleaders, we did all sorts of difficult flips and jumps, but always to an immovable surface. In this trial, the horse was not immovable and we did not have skilled control. Finally in the saddle, the ground looked further away than we anticipated. We had no idea how to communicate to our horses, but we gave it a try. The guide instructed us in proper commands, told us the horses were trained to follow the horse in front, and away we went.
From the beginning my horse was seeming stubborn and required help in getting started. Little did I know, this would be the theme throughout the journey. My friend was directly in front of me and her horse had diarrhea. My horse was offended by her horse’s inappropriate action and refused to move one step further. Nothing I said encouraged her to move forward, even the correct command. She simply had her mind made up and nothing short of the guide would get her in forward motion. I do not know what the horse in front of me had eaten, but the stops were many along the trail, and each encounter brought laughter and comments from me and my friend. Needless to say, the guide earned his pay that day, as I am sure we were his challenge.
