Conquering Fears

Today I conquered one of my fears. Many of you may not know that I had a horrible accident five years ago. My aunt breeds and trains Pasofino horses. She, my mother and I went riding one crisp day in October 2001. It was my first year teaching. I had owned health insurance for a total of sixteen days. Due to a combination of the horse only being ridden twenty times before, and it hadn't been ridden in several weeks because of an injury, and a family of quail decided to prance out in front of it in an open field, I found myself on the back of a fast-moving horse. Extremely fast. Have you ever seen The Lord of the Rings? Remember Arwen's harrowing ride with Frodo away from the Black Knights? That fast. Needless to say, I bailed. I jumped off like I was in some rodeo circus and had plenty of experience flipping off of speeding horses. Only I didn't. That's how I was knocked unconscious and cracked my riding helmet AND left arm. I spent the next seven weeks with a cast on.

I haven't been on a horse since. Until today.

Enter Jihane. She is a student of mine and absolutely precious. Her sweet family invited me to spend the day with them today. Jihane is an avid horse lover and has taken lessons for three years. This little pixie of a girl got me back on a horse again for the first time in five years.

Jihane shows me some of her favorite horses at the horseback riding club.
The ponies were so cute! Does this one remind you of anyone famous? I'll give you a hint:
"Have I told you lately, that I love you?" (He even sang it for us!)
Jihane on her horse, Ottawa. This is the horse that threw her yesterday while she was galloping. But it didn't stop her! She is back on him again today.
Her brother Othmane is still riding ponies. He jumps in competitions and usually places.
Finally, Fantasia and me. He was a kind and patient horse. See the lunge line? I needed some extra encouragement before I ventured out on my own. Oh, and the instructor? I have the tiniest little crush. Maybe I will start taking lessons. Just kidding!