Our first day together |
Today is Tank’s 20th birthday! In just a week and
a half, I will have owned him for 11 years—longer than anyone before me. He is
truly “mine” and I am the richer for it.
We rode together yesterday, all by ourselves, while the wind
shook the trees and rolled a blue beach ball around the jump field, while a
neighbor helped our barn owner move some large items with a piece of heavy
equipment. Any one of those situations would have been a recipe for spooking
and running when I first got Tank. Yesterday, he didn’t even bat an eyelash. I
guess we’ve both matured in the past 11 years.
This quote sums up for me the miracle of a relationship with
a horse:
“Riding is a partnership. The horse lends you his strength,
speed and grace, which are greater than yours. For your part, you give him your
guidance, intelligence and understanding, which are greater than his. Together,
you can achieve a richness that alone neither can.” –Lucy Rees, “The Horse’s
Mind.”
A recent photo |
Thank you, Tank, for 11 years of simple pleasures and
everyday adventures. Your birthday “cake” is on its way!