Horse People and Power

I found this out there on the internet, credited to @iamnotanartist. I smiled with a knowing nod when I saw it.

By most measuring sticks, I am a conservative rider. I am cautious when it comes to being on the back of a horse, trying to set up my rides in the safest way possible. You know, “the safest way possible” considering that I am getting on a thousand pound prey animal.

I will say though that I do sometimes enjoy a good challenge, a fast ride or a new activity. Not all the time. Not every ride. No way.

BUT there’s a little daredevil somewhere inside me that pops out periodically. I suspect every rider has one of those, just in varying degrees. Otherwise I don’t think we’d ever consider something as challenging as climbing up on a horse’s back.

I won’t go looking for a romp on a horse. I kind of dread a romp on a horse. But I have to say that when things go sideways, as they sometimes invariably do, it IS a bit of a power rush if I am still on top of the horse after all is said and done.

Not power over the horse. But power over myself. For me, the rush is in the power to ride with and through the fear. The rush in knowing that my body reacted automatically in a way that resulted in a positive outcome. The rush in having beaten chance during a dicey moment.

It strikes me as the weirdest feeling ever for a conservative rider like me, but it exists nevertheless.