That Their young Men May have Visions and Their Old Men May Dream Dreams

Chance is 13. I am 49. At our training session Saturday afternoon we both took great steps forward. Chance has been riding less than a year. Like most boys, he was a very cautious rider. His confidence grew as he spent the summer turning my wild Corolla stallion, Trade Wind into a solid trail horse. He earned the right to be proud of himself when on September 20, 2008, he rode Trade Wind 46 miles in one day.

Saturday he put that confidence and pride to good use. We have been making solid progress with Red Feather, the most violent horse with whom I have ever worked. Though we were progressing, Red Feather was, and still is a long way from being a gentled trail horse of the type that we routinely produce. My experienced riders were also experienced at seeing just how hard Red Feather could buck and what an athlete he is. They did not volunteer to give him a try in the round pen.

Chance did volunteer. He rode him, first with Brent on the lead, and then freely in the round pen. What he showed was pure guts. It was the same kind of bravery that I had come to routinely expect from Lido and was delighted to see in Chance. I could not have been prouder of him.

I must admit that I was a bit proud of what is left of me also. I mounted Red Feather with Brent on the lead. He carried me beautifully. Very soon he will be my woods horse.

I do not know a lot of 13 year old boys that would have gotten on Red Feather and I do not know of a lot of 49 year old men that would have either.

Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of Chance on Red Feather, but Ashley snapped this one of me, Red Feather and Brent Saturday afternoon.