Chapter 6 - A Corner Is Turned

It's Sandpaper-Gate

“Tell me about your horse and what you’d like to get out of this lesson?”

It’s a pretty standard way for a new coach to start a lesson and this was no different. 

We were halfway through the pandemic and in a brief window between lockdowns, where I’d committed to attend every equestrian outing I possibly could. 

Even in my state of fetal position fear, I knew that having a young horse that was also ‘locked down’ and not seeing the world was going to add even more problems to my plate. 

I took a deep breath….

“So um…I used to ride as a kid and thought I was pretty damn good”

“Then when I started back riding after a 20 year break,  I bought this young, green, entirely unsuitable horse. It was a poor choice” I said, because apparently I was OK with owning my shitty decisions these days 🤷‍♀️

“Ok. Well you’re not the first person to do that. Where are you both up to right now?” She asked, kinda gruffly. 

“Err…we can walk and trot but I can’t canter because he bucks” I answered, feeling only marginally more capable than someone you might see trail riding wearing shorts, thongs and a bicycle helmet.

I was standing in her arena that morning because a few days earlier I’d seen a ‘poles clinic’ advertised about 30 minutes from my house and I’d booked in immediately.

I’d never heard of the coach before but I didn’t care because I loved the idea of prancing around over little logs for an hour. 

The arena setup that day…