Last September, The Boy (yes, he's a little younger, but I got him before the aforementioned MLC set in and not from a high school either) and I took a little holiday up country. Our destination was his Mom's place and boyhood home in Williams Lake. Fresh air, sunshine, some hiking and general r and r were on the agenda.
Over the years I've always booked riding into my holidays, so I scheduled a long ride on a ranch around 108 Mile for this trip. The Boy is not a rider per se, he just happened to be along with the camera. His comment to me afterwards was something along the lines of "you look really at home on a horse". Out of the mouths of babes...not kids, just cute adult men in this case.
It was a sleepy sunny-day trail ride all in all. I rode the "experienced rider" mount (which loosely translated meant 'will attack other horses and also move out when asked'). When I say that I almost fell asleep I mean that in the best of ways - I hadn't felt so relaxed and at peace in ages.
At the rest point I chatted with the guide and listened intently to her story of falling in love with the mare she was riding at the ranch to guide trails. The two made a very nice pair out on the trail and though the mare was a bit of a handful her young rider never let the group see her sweat. The girl felt they just clicked, and hoped sincerely that she could make the horse her own. We talked about showing and the difference that a real connection makes to the horse and rider relationship. Horse people talking horses almost never have a casual conversation.
For me, the sleepy trail ride turned into a bit of an awakening. Talking horses and really allowing that side of me to tune in and turn on felt absolutely right. I don't know if the girl and the mare ended up together after all but I do know that I went back to Williams Lake and slept better than I had in ages.
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