And Yet Another New Beastie....

My friend Mel is the best. In a lot of ways, but what I am thinking of today is in connection with horses. She is really, really good with them. And with people.

She knows I have been kind of nervous, and she knows I want to learn to ride. Today she mentioned that Rommy was kind of sore as she had been jumping a lot this week. And she was grumpy. Great, I thought. Just what I want, which must have showed on my poor face, because Mel said, well, she thought maybe Rommy needed a day off, and did I want a nice ride on D'Exotica, aka Tess.

True love. I didn't get any really nice pictures of her, but here she is wondering what Mel is DOING with the clippers..



I like riding English best, as opposed to Western. (how can I be a haunted gothic lady, riding the moors endlessly thu the night, dressed in black and lace, with high black leather boots, and my dark hair steaming out behind me, in a Western saddle, I ask you??? Can't be done.)



Rommy isn't so good with an English Saddle, it slips around on her, and you kind of feel, at least I do, like you are about to fall off at any moment. And she has been kind of a brat lately.

D'Exotica was lovely to ride. She knows what she is meant to be doing, and does it, leaving me free to think about riding. I can't think "Thumbs up, elbows in, heels down, hands in line, shorten the reins, move your hips, back straight, use your knees, post, bring her head in, sit back, and oh, relax" when I am trying not to fall off and the horse is not at all interested in doing what I want.

So Mel is leasing me D'Exotica aka Tess for at least the next month or two. I can work on my riding, which certainly needs work, and learn to relax, and communicate with the horse. Then we will see. Lady May needs some work with a better rider than I, and I need the confidence.

I love being with horses, and the horse people I have met. I know enough about riding now, to know how good it can be, and what it might feel like to do it well. Like dance, or music, or spooky words.

I know it's a great workout, and I may get fit doing it. (if only people would stop bring Goodies to the stable!)

Love and New Horses,
Lorraine

PS...This just in, a picture of our friend Jen showing Tess last summer...Thanks Mel!