A peaceful ride

Vashon Island Trails

I'm an experienced rider, but always slightly apprehensive getting back in the saddle after a long break.  All horses are potentially dangerous and can buck, rear, bolt, or just plain trip and fall down. Riding takes mental discipline more than anything else. You don't even have to be particularly fit, but horses can sense if you are indecisive or fearful.  

“Some people have hypothesised that the element of danger in human-horse interactions provides particular therapeutic benefits, through self-mastery, emotional regulation, learning how to take calculated risk or overcoming fear.” 
Kirrilly Thompson

That's true, I suppose, but I'm long past the stage of life where I relish "the element of danger." For me, the mental benefit comes from the pleasure of connecting with nature from the back of a nice horse. What a privilege. I'm as good a rider as I'm ever going to be, so why take unnecessary risks?

Speaking of good, Moe was a perfect horse.  I always lead on our trail rides, which means paying more attention.  Guess it did Moe good packing kids around at summer camp.  He's in excellent shape and walked quietly down the trail. Marianne's horse, despite his advanced age and various aliments, did fine too.  He would follow Moe through the gates of hell. So the ride did us all good.

The weekend rolls around again.  John says he has some "serious football" to watch tomorrow night and there "might be swearing."  That must mean the Buckeyes have a big game.

We have another day of dry warm weather before things change on Sunday. I'm working on getting the beds ready for compost in October.  Actually, I'm trying a composted waste/sawdust product called "Growco," which supposedly has more nutrients and is cleaner than municipal compost, which can contain bits of trash. The nice guy who brought the bark for me last spring said he would come and spread it.

See you Monday!