All the pretty horses

All of Gods creations are miraculous but to me the most beautiful creature is the horse. There is just something majestic in the way that they move; they are the epitome of grace. Watching a horse run takes your breath away, you stand in awe as it floats above the ground, mane and tail drifting behind. But watching a horse run can not compare to the exhilaration that you feel when you run with a horse. You feel the animal powerfully moving beneath you as you rush over the earth at blinding speed. Your world blurs around and all you see is your mounts ears framing the path you are on. Its pounding hooves and laboring breath are all you hear. You are living in the moment; you feel like your flying.

This is what I feel every time I ride my horse and, although I gave it my best shot, it still doesn't do it any justice. I feel completely happy and content with my life when I'm riding. After a hard and overwhelming day in high school I would saddle my horse and ride for hours on end coming home before dark relaxed and ready to face another day. Out in the hills there was nobody but me, my horse and the wildlife. It was peaceful. Some people go biking or quading in the hills and enjoy it but unless they have a silent engine they will never really experience nature at its best. With a horse, you can move soundlessly through the trees and see the animals as they really are. I can't count the number of times I discovered a mother deer feeding her fawn, or a moose drinking from a creek and even once a grizzly bear and her cubs eating berries. On horseback you see and hear things you never could riding a quad.

Ok so right now you guys are rolling your eyes and thinking this is a bunch of girlie pansy stuff because all girls love horses. So here is something that you might enjoy. Horseback riding is no picnic. The only time someone can be relaxed and completely sure their horse will not spook or buck and go crazy is if they are riding a thirty year old blind gelding that is half dead-- and even then there is no guarantee. Horse are prey animals, so that mean that their first instinct when startled is to run. They are constantly watching for danger lurking around every bend and if you don't pay attention to how your horse is reacting to its surroundings you will end up in the dirt watching your horse hightail it for home. Even when riding in an arena a horse can be unpredictable. I have a ten year old mare that I would ride everyday and odds are she would try to buck me off at least once a week... sometimes she succeeded. When a horse is bucking underneath of you, trying with all its might to get you off its back the adrenaline kicks in. Its like your on a high and when the horse finally stands still your breathless and want to go another round.

So I just realized that my two argument totally contradict each other so let me clarify. I'm not saying that every horse is going to try and buck you off or spook at every little thing. There are really good riding horse out there that are extremely calm and gentle that rarely act up, and if they do its because of a really good reason ( like a charging bear for example). So they are considered very safe to ride. On the flip side of that you can get a horse that is really high strung and needs a good rider to manage it and will often provide a good rodeo. My mare is little bit on the wild side but that only keeps things from getting too boring.

So whether your a thrill seeker looking for an adrenaline rush or of a calmer disposition wanting a relaxing ride horseback riding is definitely something you should try. You'll love it I promise.