Horses, Horses, Horses

I saw a photo recently of a horse in a snowstorm or a blizzard and was reminded of my history with horses. Years and years of horses. I don't ride much now, but I'd love to find a shared-board horse deal or, better yet, someone who would just like his or her horse worked out - the edge taken off, don't you know? - so that the horse was settled down and ready for the owner to ride. If you have a horse like that, you know what I mean.

Several years ago a friend in Denver invited me to travel down to his "ranch" about 100 miles away for a ride. His 85-year-old father lived on about 100 acres, and Gordon kept his horses there. We made arrangements to do that about three weeks later.

I think Gordon called me three times/week during each week in-between. "You know how to ride, don't you?" "You have ridden before, haven't you?" "Do you really know how to ride?" Seems like I said that riding a horse is sort of like riding a bicycle. Once you know how, you don't forget.

On a Friday night we drove from Denver to Salida and spent the night in the cabin with his father. Early the next morning we loaded the horses into the trailer and headed into town for breakfast. And after that, we drove out to the trailhead.

Gordon unloaded the first horse and handed me the rope, telling me to hold my horse while he saddled his. While his back was turned, I brushed, saddled and bridled my horse and, when he turned around, I was sitting on the horse, ready to go.

When he saw I was already mounted, he asked, "Did you get the saddle on right?"

I said, "Yes, I think so. The horn goes in the front; right?"

Gordon swung up on his horse and, when he glanced over my way, I lifted the reins just slightly, and my horse took off up the trail. When I looked back, Gordon was grinning from ear to ear.

He told me later that he had invited many friends to go riding with him. When they got ready to ride, the others turned out to be beginners or even afraid to start out. We had a terrific ride that day - about 15 miles, as I recall.