Tears to Cheers

A horse reduced me to tears this week.

Over the past few weeks, our family has been trying out a friend's horse for our youngest to use in 4-H. Boo (the horse) is beautiful, with a sweet personality, but she is a hellion when it comes to being bridled.

Now I am not the kind of person to easily give up. And I was telling myself, I can do this, I can do this, even to the point of getting the bridle over one ear. We made do, my daughter got on for her riding lesson, and I was okay.

Until we had to take off the bridle. The horse wouldn't let me, just pulling her head back enough out of my reach. And that's when I lost it.

We've been through two horses in as many months, trying to get one for our youngest, and I was exhausted from the roller coaster ride, from having high hopes only to not have the horse work out. I cried as I told the silly horse that I wasn't going to hurt her, and couldn't she let me take off the bridle?

I told my husband I don't want a horse for our youngest just for the sake of having a horse. Unless it's a well-behaved horse.

Fortunately, after much discussion by phone with a seller and an evening of riding, we found a great horse for our youngest this past Friday. Her name is Taia (pronounced "tie"). I have high hopes.

Taia is a good reminder of how wonderful horses can be.