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After Susi, my school pony smashed my ribs in a week ago, i've been back in the saddle for the first time today- riding my own horse, Ars Videndi. She's been a very successfull dressage horse (german title), but actually never really wanted to do that. Now that I got the lil' mousey, she's actually just riding across country. Today I played her my favourite song - Billy Joe Royal's 1965 masterpiece

Down in the boon docks

and Vivendi just started dancing I had a senior dressage rider stand by and she actually cried in joy. That's just one of them days Looks like Vivendi digs Billy joe Royal, who woulda thunk it

I used to ride years ago. My cousin had a horse and we used English tack with him as apposed to Western. Never got as far as doing anything as fancy as dressage, but we did do some jumping - mostly over low jumps. He hadn't been trained in jumping before we got him, we think, but he was willing to do it. He was a standard bred and I think had some training for the race track because he preferred this long reaching trotting gate to a canter when we took him out on long rides. He was nine years old when we got him. Then my cousin sold him to someone else after a few years.

I've been riding since I was 12, and I LOVE IT! However, there are often stretches of years where I don't get to ride for various and sundry reasons. I got back into it again after Aureilia was born and b4 I was preg with Abby. But then Abby came along, and I haven't been back on since. But now I have a barn...and land...and One of these days I'm gonna find someone to give me $600/ month to keep their horse for them and ride it.

When I was a teenager I rode competitively, and I loved getting those blue ribbons. The last show I was doing (before I quit cause it was getting too expensive and my Mom wasn't paying anymore), I won lots of 1st places. So I was excited and happy.

Then a girl sidled past my horse's behind (stupid thing to do) and she got the sh*t kicked out of her in a span of about 6 seconds. So there was all this horrible drama with her screaming on the sawdust and medics running and me dragging my horse away and I felt like I was going to faint. I was sure she would sue me. I was only 17.

Few minutes later, my teacher came over and said it was just bruises...she was going to be okay. And the kicked girl was worried *I* would sue *her* for sidling improperly past my horse. (What a f*cked up world we live in that two teenagers are involved in a horse accident, and they're both petrified mostly of the other one suing them. )

And my teacher's like, oh yeah, and by the way, you won the Show High Point Award, and she hands me the big fancy rosette for doing the best average in all the classes. I'd never won that before.

Shortly, my mom picked me up, and was like "How'd you do?" (she was at work during the show), and I burst into hysterically upset post-traumatic-stress tears and proffered up all these ribbons and she was completely baffled.

I haven't ridden since "the accident" 16 years ago. I lost my interest. Sometimes i do miss the scent of the horse (yes, I actually like the way a horse smells) and quiet winter mornings spend in the stable with those big warm animals. I only competed once. I wasn't any good. In retrospect I wish I would have gone for a more relaxed western pleaure over dressage. The school I went to pushed me too hard and fast for a beginner, I think.

I got a blue ribbon once. My cousin and I took lessons at a stable and they had shows for the students twice a year. This was when we were kids. As an adult she bought her horse when she had a job as a social worker. I would come home from college and ride during vacations. I too liked the smell of horses and the warmth in a barn, especially in winter. The sound of them munching their oats was soothing. But now I have a boat. Don't think I could deal with having both a boat and a horse. But talking about horses here sure is nostalgic.

I have a horse story but EK might kill me because it reflects badly on a countryman of hers... OK Well we were in PEI one summer about 12 years ago for vacation it was our second time and just the beginning of my sister's soap opera with Canadian men, (the right guy won I guess) anyway I'm lamenting because I haven't ridden in a LONG time, because in NY it is so expensive. And the people we were staying with say... "Oh it's only 10$ for two hours here. Say what So I immediately start begging because we are flushed with US currency and the exchange rate at the time was through the roof.

Well turns out parents were feeling mighty generous. A despite the raging hormones going on around me I was PSYCHED! Now we get to the place, pick out our horses, and we're off! But the guide, didn't fix my stirrup properly. I told him they were wrong but I was an "outsider" and a "city girl" (I was most certainly NOT) but he assumed I was. Anyway he would not adjust the fit. So I kept stopping along the trail and fixing my leg so I don't fall. I know how to handle myself. But the guy got mad came up behind me, slapped my mount's rump, and the poor thing took off. Now me with one leg dangling, clenched my thighes and held on for dear life! Fortunately the horse was very good, and while I couldn't get him to slow down, he did go where I wanted him too. So I got him to the barn, my parents are screaming bloody murder thinking baby girl is dead! (AS IF! I knew what to do) After I got the horse back to where he was supposed to be, I waited for dad. He got me off. Then I turned to the idiot who nearly got me killed, said you should have listened to me, look at the saddle. Sure enough that stirrup was shot! Well I didn't want anyone sued, I wanted praise for staying on and keeping my back straight. So I turned around and demanded my praise. God it felt good!

you're right...I am coming for you.....

I can take you even in a wheelchair. My brothers are bigger and stronger and I beat them up. But truly the guy was a moron. And the worst part was HE WAS CUTE! All around weird day, I loved every second of it.