Successful Ride Today

Well, the ride didn't happen the other day like planned for my daughter (see previous post). It was rescheduled. It happened today instead. I wondered if it would bring more tears, but it went better than I expected.

My daughter was a bit nervous about riding a different horse, since Rex died, but she did great. She walk, trot, cantered our trainer's horse around. She was subdued throughout the ride until the end (what brought out a smile is in the next paragraph). She told me afterward that she felt a bit guilty every time she saw Rex's tree (where he is buried) out in the hay field. She said she thought he was watching her riding a different horse out there from the hay field or in the arena with them. (I told her Rex would want her to be happy and riding again.)

She also had another first. She took the horse over rails today - three times actually. Cross rails? (I'm not a jumper if you can't tell.) The first two times, the rails came down but by the third time, they were hopping over it and she had a BIG smile on her face after that. That brought a smile out.

She said she still isn't ready to have another horse right now of her own but she does get to take care of one of our trainer's horses over the winter which she is thrilled about. If they bond, this mare may end up being hers so having the winter to bond (and have the pain of losing Rex diminish a bit) will be good for her.

This last month has been very sad and still brings tears at times. However, she left the stable today ready to start lessons again. She didn't want to leave the stable today whereas at other times this past month, she wanted to leave and usually left crying.

So I will share some pictures with you of her first ride after losing her horse, Rex, a month ago today. This was the horse a little over a year ago that she couldn't get to do anything for her because she didn't have any confidence riding and he knew it. Look at her now after Rex instilled in her the confidence to enjoy riding: