Life-long Love for Horses

Yesterday my cousin Pam said she had accomplished something on her bucket list. She bought a horse. Not just any horse, but a Paso Fino, one of the finest riding horses. I have always wanted to ride a Paso Fino. They are small horses with a gait so smooth a rider can hold a tray with a glass of wine in one hand and not spill a drop.

Pam rescued her three year old from a horse farm in Florida where the owners lost the farm through foreclosure and abandoned the horses. Now, Pam is not a young girl, though she looks younger than her years, and she has not yet ridden the horse, but she is doing what I would do if I had the land to keep a horse. She goes out to the farm and feeds him, she takes him for walks, loves on him and brushes him.

She watches him run in the pasture and says he has made her extremely happy. I can believe that. Horses are the most beautiful animals in the world to me. I can sit in a field and watch horses graze and I smile. From the age of ten, I wanted nothing as much as I wanted my own horse. I didn't get that horse until I graduated from college, but she was worth waiting for. My beloved mare, Pretty Thing, came into my life, thanks to my brother, Max, and a thirty year love affair began. When she was thirty-two years old, thin and frail, I had to put her down. It broke my heart, but she left me some great memories. 

Someone who knows I have had a life-long love for horses sent me the following link:

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Y5XJbSqwriM?rel=0

These are some of the most beautiful animals I've ever seen. If you

want to be impressed and awed by them, watch this video.

What other life would you choose?

Renaissance Rebecca has a post today that intrigues me. "List ten other lives you'd like to lead and tell why" or something to that effect.

Click here to see what she chose and think what you would choose.

I'd like to lead the life of sailboat captain for just a few weeks. The quietness and the wind in my face, the sun warming me, would be delightful.

When I was much younger, I would have loved to work on a working cattle ranch. To spend time on horseback everyday was such a dream of mine.

I would like to be part of a speaking tour where I could talk to groups about the harm being done to the future of this country unless we wake up to the chemical pollution of our water, our air and our food.

If I could, I'd love to lead a dancing excercise class. That is my favorite method of moving all the muscles in my body and keeping fit.

In another life, I would sing! Singing calms the nerves, soothes and energizes us. I always wished I could sing with my husband and our sound would be beautiful. His voice was excellent, but my voice was never that good. However, I did sing for many years in the church choir and always felt great afterward.

But of all the things I have wanted to do in my life, teaching seems to be the one thing I enjoy most at this time. Helping others to gain the knowledge, the confidence, the belief that they can do what they want to do.

Writing and teaching others is the life I want and the life I plan to lead.

                               Students in my class at John C. Campbell Folk School

A Story by Gay Moring

My sister, Gay Moring, lived in San Francisco years ago and recently wrote some stories about her life there. With her permission, I am posting this funny story she wrote while we were at Wild Acres last year.

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A favorite memory of my life in San Francisco was a day that Emily, my Chinese-American roommate from Augusta, Georgia, and her Japanese boyfriend Homer, and I decided to drive down the coast and go horseback riding. I’ll never know what possessed us since none of us were horse people. I don’t think Emily or Homer had ever been on a horse. I had ridden horses when I was in my teens, but I never considered myself much of a horseman. In fact, most of the horses I rode tried to either kick me or bite me, so riding wasn’t one of my favorite activities.

When we arrived, three horses had been saddled and were waiting for us. Bravely, we climbed aboard and started down the designated route. We had been told that the horses knew the trail, and we couldn’t go wrong. We hadn’t gone far before Homer’s horse, the leader, abruptly turned and headed back to the stable. Poor Homer didn’t have a clue how to stop him.

I’m sure the horse was thinking, Why should I work carrying this guy? I can just go back to the stable and rest.
I rode after my Japanese friend and his horse and turned them around. The horse did okay for another ten minutes or so. Then, once more, that stubborn horse turned back and headed for the stable. By this time I was laughing so I could hardly stay in the saddle myself. I rescued Homer once again.

The third time Homer lost control of his stead, Emily’s horse decided he didn’t want to work either. Both riders perched on top of the horses, held on helplessly with no control as they headed toward the barn. At this point, the situation had me in stitches. I gave up and rode back beside them. The horseback ride was over.

The best part of this outing, for me, had been Homer’s big frightened eyes in his round, chubby face as he bobbed up and down while the horse trotted back to his stall.

After all these years, the image of that helpless look on Homer’s face still makes me laugh.

By Gay C. Moring