Yippee!

T has some energy.

I rode her today for the first time, on a really hot day when I would not have blamed her for being sluggish. Instead, I hardly ever had to encourage her to walk.

She was great, handling my initial wobbliness with no problem. The saddle was a little loose, but once Dada tightened, I felt steady. Everyone said I looked good, too.

Dada said it was a perfect first lesson. We just rode around a while, not trying any patterns, just getting used to each other.

I spent too much time early looking at my hands and not watching where I was going. The result: I ran into a few branches or had to duck out of the way at the last minute. I tried to watch where I was going more later.

I do better later also because we shorten the reins and I am able to control steering without moving my hands too much.

The lesson was made even better because Dada, Kate and Lynne (and Mom, Claren and Brendan) were there. Dada, Kate and Lynne have been my biggest supporters and teachers since I started. I know I am lucky to have them.

To InfiniTy and beyond

My one problem with Louie was that I could never come up with anything that played off his name. As the headline suggests, this won't be a problem with the new horse, InfiniTy, or T.

I saw her today for the first time but did not ride her. Spirit was having a yard sale, and I was watching a table. Actually, I felt like a celebrity. I sat there and had my own gopher, the daughter of one of the instructors. And everyone was pointing me out or asking me if I was comfortable.

It was pretty cool.

As far as T goes, everyone raves about her. She is a 15-year-old registered Morgan mare. She looks a little shorter than Louie is. She is just a few years younger than Louie, but Dada says that means a lot in horses.

Dada also says that she is the best schooled horse she has sat on since she came to the USA. Awesome. Lynne rode her and said you just have to think left or trot or whatever and she does it. Awesomer!

And I met the woman who donated T. Wow, thanks, Courtney, for becoming a part of Spirit!

I can't wait for next Saturday -- my first lesson.

Just a pause

I didn't ride last week or today. I sure miss it.

Dada, my teacher, and Golden Dreams, the program in Middleburg, had a falling out. I am not really sure what happened and I am sad about it. I liked riding at Golden Dreams more than I thought I would. It is beautiful and everyone there treated me with great kindness and respect. Plus, Claren and the dog of the stable became great friends. And I never felt out of place wearing breeches.

But I also love riding with Dada and with Kate, and they were returning to Spirit Field, which is nearer to me, and to the program we had started in Spirit Open Equestrian Program. With Dada and Kate I feel safe. I read a story about one of the USA's para-equestrian team riders. He said he had fallen countless times. I have never fallen. I am not sure if that disqualifies me from some cool equestrian club or if it is just a matter of time before I fall. With Dada and Kate, I also know that I will be challenged and forced to give my all. And it's not like anyone is mean to me at Spirit, and I can deal with feeling out of place with my breeches.

So I stayed with Dada. Unfortunately, Louie – the horse I ride – stayed at Golden Dreams. Louie came to Spirit through the connections and work of a woman who now leads Golden Dreams, and there is a disagreement over which program he was donated to. Last night, I heard that Louie's old owners have said they donated him to Spirit. Hopefully, that means he will soon be back at Spirit Field and I will be able to ride again.

If you are confused, that's all right, so am I, and it is my life. Please, though, I ask no one to try to explain what happened or point any fingers of blame on this blog. I just want to ride.