It is not uncommon to hear non-horse people say that they do not understand why horse people need horses. I hope you enjoy this short narrative, it was the best way that I could think of to express this love of mine and to try and help others understand why I need it in my life. Horses make everyday better and they help heal wounds that you didn't even know you had.
The dust flickered, dancing through the stuffy air of the indoor ring, clogging up the air creating a cloud that consumed ones vision, holding it for ransom. The only clues of movement inside, the steady drum of a horse's gait, hammering down on the sandy footing. Two different worlds: One outside looking in and the other inside, oblivious to everything but here and now.
Outside she was statuesque. The beat pulsing through her. One, two. One, two. As she rounded the corner she felt herself start to shift her position. Her equine partner doing the same. One, two. One, two. She opened her chest, her hips moved pushing his body to form the perfect arc around her inside leg. Molding to the shape of the corner.
A loud crashing noise broke in through the open doors of the ring as a gate swung shut outside. She felt his body tense up, starting to brace against her subtle movements. Slowly and ever so slightly her hands became as light as a feather, willing the power underneath her to uncoil, just for a moment.
Then she brought the coils back, bringing the power to his hind end, allowing him to rock back and engage his hocks. Immediately she felt the change in his gait. His back arched up underneath her. Creating a bubble of power and perfection. His movements became more athletic, more engaged. His stride became longer as he reached forward with this front end while his hind end pushed forward. She opened her hip angle more, so that she could stay with his changing gait. She reached down around his slim muscular side with her legs. Down, down, down she reached until she felt secure. Her upper body reaching up at the same time. She became a tree. Reaching and stretching up and down, and yet she stayed still and cool on the outside. As if nothing were happening at all.
The only clue she would allow that proved how hard she was working was how her shirt started to cling to her back as the beads of sweat slid down her quietly ever changing body. Her horse's body became dark and glistened with sweat. His chest speckled with foam from his busy mouth. Breathing hard, his nostrils flared. Showing the pinkish red of the inside of his nose.
The beat stayed the same, one two. One, two. The two partners moved together around the corner, like a dance. She started to ask more of him. Using her aides she moved his shoulders off the track. His body shifted back even more. Lighting up his front end.. This slight shift made it easier to move his shoulders and adjust his body. She applied her inside leg creating a bend in his body and raising his head and neck more. Simultaneously she put more of a feel in her outside rein closing the door, thus harnessing his power.
She then softened her inside hand and opened the door allowing both of their shoulders to create the other track. The animals inside hind leg and outside front leg line up creating the impression of a three legged beast. She held this motion going down the long side of the ring, keeping the feeling of the beat and his hind leg pushing up underneath him.
The two danced into the following corner, keeping the bend the same, she sent him around in a half-circle. Moving her outside leg back she led her partner into an arched sideways motion. Legs crossed. The horse's body still holding the shape of a perfect half circle. He moved like a half moon traveling around the sun.
As they neared the door, her attention lingered on the activity in the barn aisle. People were moving horses, tack and cleaning stalls. A radio played in the background. She felt her horse hesitate. Bringing her back into the dream like state of pure concentration, everything else faded into the dust.
He hesitated, asked a slight question. Begging to know if he was doing the right thing. The woman’s face hinted at a smile, but she rode him forward. Asking for him to keep pushing off his hind end making the precise movements lateral work demands. Sideways they went until they reached the end of their line. Hitting the tall white walls with bones of wood. The sound of clanging metal echoed around the ring as her stirrup hit.
She let her mount straighten, then gave her reins to him. Allowing complete freedom. A smile broke through her statuesque face as she praised her gelding. The horse’s physique changed as well. Knowing it was a job well done he started to relax, his stride lengthened and became loose as his expression changed. He was morphing form a magnificent warlike steed to a goofy laid back class clown. He dropped his head down and let his ears flop. He started moving his whole body in four different directions at the same time. As he started to relax he started to moan. It started as a deep rumbling humming sound and ended with a deep moaning and hacking noise. As if he was dying or coughing up a hairball. This made the woman laugh. As the two started to relax the dust started to clear and the surroundings started to seep in through the sunshine. As if the world had been paused the whole time.
