When Molly Goes Walking

When Molly goes walking, and I am walking beside her holding her lead rope, there's almost always a point at which I am positive there is someone walking behind us. I keep listening, trying to hear their steps, and I eventually have to turn around and look. There's never anyone there. It's her hind feet that I'm hearing, the second and fourth beats in the 1-2-3-4 rhythm of her walk.

When Molly goes walking through the field, I sometimes think about what to do if a bear comes charging out of the woods at us. You may have heard the story of the woman leading some children on a trail ride in the Rockies. She and her horse charged a bear and managed to scare it off, and - so the story goes - she bought the horse. That is not going to happen with us. I am completely confident that Molly will get herself out of there right away. My job will be to make sure I don't get left behind. So I imagine sitting deeply, with my hips almost disconnected so that my legs can counter balance me. First she'll spin very quickly, so it will be important to let my seat go along with her and just let my shoulders catch up. Then we'll take off. I've seen her gallop but never ridden at that gait. Keeping your seat at the canter, which is similar to a gallop, means using a slight scooping action, and not leaning forward which is my usual fault. Galloping will be really hard for me. Worse comes to worst, I can fall forward and wrap my arms around her neck. Heaven only knows what direction we'll be headed in.

When Molly and I go walking with me mounted, I'm always amazed at how much motion there is. Her back ripples as each leg moves. Horseback riding is said to be good physical therapy for people who have trouble with their own legs. I keep trying to feel the four beats of the walk, but I often can't. So I just let my seat go along with her back. There is a trick to letting your seat move but keeping your shoulders steady. I love it when I can do it.

It has been great to ride more often, and sense my body catching up to the instruction that I've had over the years, while I ponder the theory and the reality of equine movement.