A Sunday Afternoon with the Horses
We spent a Sunday afternoon in late March out at some local stables in the hills. The day was overcast and cool. It started with getting to know the animals. My daughter got acquainted with a small, brown and white pony, carefully brushing its coat outside the barn before getting a chance to sit on it bareback for a moment.
After watching some of the stable hands tend to a larger black horse, it was time to get ready for the real ride. We moved into the outdoor arena, a large, fenced-in space with soft dirt footing. The green hills in the background were shrouded in a bit of fog.
With her blue helmet on, she used a red plastic mounting block to climb into the saddle. An instructor led the pony by a rope, walking her slowly around the perimeter of the ring. She held the reins, looking focused as she got the feel for it.
To cap off the lesson, she got to switch mounts. She had a chance to sit atop the big black horse she'd seen earlier, which made the little pony look even smaller by comparison. It was a calm and quiet way to spend the day.
