Confessions From A Teenage HORSE-A-HOLIC!

by Elaine Polny
(Ontario, Canada)

It has been 33 years since my last confession and I write this story in hopes of helping another to not make the same mistake!

I was fourteen at the time when I would pass the pasture of a beautiful black horse (name unknown), on my way to a friend?s house. I would always stop, climb through the fence to pet and have a chat with this beauty. We became very good friends. So I thought.

Since I had no horse of my own and it had been months since I rode a horse, I thought how wonderful it would be to just take a quick ride! I had never seen anyone ride or even handle this horse so why I would think it was okay is still a mystery to me.

Finally the intoxication of mounting this beast got the better of me and I noticed some twine on the ground from the bales the horse was given and with my creative skills conjured up a rope bridle. I softly led him to a log on the ground to help me get on since this horse had to have been 16 hands high! Up I went bareback, all along hoping not to get caught!

We glided along walking and then trotting, the whole time I thought I was in heaven! After about 10 minutes I realized how crazy this was (and the fear of being caught was getting larger!) so I dismounted, thanked the horse, and went on my way!

I am now a responsible parent (so I would like to think!) and could only imagine if my child shared this story. I?m sure my response would be something like, ?Are you nuts!?, ?Did you take leave of all your senses! Or did you just decide to stop using your brain! ?You?re so lucky that horse didn?t hurt you!? And many, many more choice words!

Realizing how truly crazy this idea was, and the mere fact that I lived to tell the tale suggests that this horse recognized something in me worth saving or perhaps simply recognized I lacked the capacity to think rationally!

It makes you wonder though, the combined innocence of a child and the loving nature of the horse, what miracles can be created.

Note to Self:

1. Never get on a horse that you have no idea is even trained to ride!

2. Never tell your parents, they will use it against you later!

3. Never tell your children the dumb mistakes you?ve made, they will use it against you later too!

4. Always listen to your intuition, it may save your life someday!

I hope by sharing this story, I will keep someone else out of trouble!

Elaine Polny
Horses by Nature