Today my granddaughter, who is four years old joined in on a slow ride in the woods. She was perched on her white mule on a chilly, blustery afternoon. Before we went though any heavy water we had to go though a small mud hole, about a truck length and a half long. Under the muddy water was a hole that the mule stepped. The mule is an athlete so she remained on her feet as she navigated the mire--a scary time for a four year old.
But also a time to build self confidence and independence. She did great. So often I hear people tell such stories and then throw in "And she was not a bit afraid."
Lucy was more than "a bit afraid." She was scared to death, but recovered, rode on and had a great time. One is never to young to begin to learn to control one's emotions. One is never too young to learn to feel proud of one's self for taking on a challenge.
On a similar note, the picture above is of my young Ossabaw boar. He is learning to walk on a leash. He is overcoming his fear of the lead line and is starting to enjoy his visits out into the world.
If I had waited until he was grown the learning experience would have been much harder...on both of us.
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