Newbie Rider

My first ride on Kismet was memorable. Of all the mares the family owns, Kismet is the most considerate of her rider. She really makes every effort to keep the rider seated.

Unfortunately Kismet wasn't very cooperative that day. Of course, this was my very first solo ride. So we first thought I was simply being "buffalo'd". Later Melissa mentioned she was actually "squirting". All these new terms, all the coordinated balancing, were overloading my mind and body. But this one fact I know, mares in heat grow nuts!

One time, we arrived at the barn and could not open the tack room. So we rode around the arena bareback with only the halter for neck reining. I was beginning to slip off Kismet's back when she stopped and waited for me to catch myself. She even arched her neck around to make sure I was alright.

One other time, with barely an hour or two of total riding under my belt, we went out on the trail. We skipped over a small brook. I stayed on! We went through some low lying branches and I didn't come off. We pulled up a small muddy rise and Kismet kept me on her back. For not falling off, I am most grateful.

For the love of a horse

Early in the Spring of 2004, I met Melissa. She had moved from Corvallis Oregon to take a job as an Apartment Manager in Tigard. She had a sadness about her. Obviously, she was away from her family. But moreso, she was away from her horse, O'Reilley. It was easy to tell she was a horse lover. Her decor, collections and favored topics of conversation were all about horses.

I learned her plan was to settle down in the new job, then find a way to board O'Reilley where she could see him daily. In the mean time, as she had no car, I thought of taking her on a 90 minute drive down to Corvallis for a visit. It's been a few weeks since she's seen her horse. I knew it was an offer she couldn't refuse. The date was set!

At the barn, I was introduced to O'Reilley, a 14.3H chestnut Polish Arabian gelding. He was handsome, fit and regal descendant of the Russian Tsar's breeding program. Quickly, I was briefed on how to act safely around a half-ton former race horse. I began my relations by brushing and holding his halter while Melissa tacked up for a ride.

Bribing O'Reilley with a carrot seemed, in my estimation, to have spared me the test of wills I had felt certain to loose. His eyes, whinny, head tossing and slight pransing were supposed to mean that he was excited to be out of the stall and to go out on the trail. Comforting thought considering that his hooves seemed to have been aiming for my toes!

After a bit of longeing to loosen O'Reilley, Melissa mounted and took off on a trail ride!

I was waiting by the car, across from the other end of the arena, about 120 feet distant from where Melissa and O'Reilley returned from their trail ride. Melissa's smile was so radiant and so disarming, I booked another date! Next time, I was going to try my luck at riding and not falling off Kismet, her sister's Arabian mare.