Camera Shy?

Imagine being 18 years old and having only been on horses that were trained. Imagine that it is the day that you have been waiting for for months and months and months--your  horse is finally old enough to begin his saddle training.

Now imagine that your audience includes a photographer and writer from a major regional newspaper.

I think that a lot of young people out there would have found it impossible to maintain a state of constant focus and relaxation.

But Ashley did.

The kid impressed me tremendously,but she did not surprise me. Ashley is smart, tough and knows how to listen. She handled herself with Lydia-like calmness the entire morning. This was a very big day for her horse, Peter Maxwell. He will be gradually eased into full riding over the next year.

Actually, there was more to it than Lydia-like calmness. She worked the horse with Lido-like trust and patience. Like Lido, she worked the horse with me. I did not have correct her movements or spend time trying to relax her. We were both able to focus on what really mattered, the horse.

Ashley followed each step of the mounting process without hesitation. I cannot explain that which I cannot understand but her relaxed movement through every step of the process kept bringing me back to about ten years ago when Lido would be tightening his helmet to get on a mustang that had never been ridden and simply say "Ah, Ah think she weady to wide now. Ah weady anyways."