Everything Horses and Livestock® November 2021 Vol. 6 Issue 4

Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine ®

I have lived in Kansas for over 20 years but had never taken the time to ride horses in the beautiful Flint Hills, so when the opportunity presented itself, I knew that I wanted in! The day started early as we had to travel a couple hours to participate in this event with over 100 other horse enthusiasts. I was going to be riding Jasper, a Rocky Mountain Horse, who had never experienced the wide open space of the Flint Hills so I knew that we were both in for an adventure. We were welcomed by so many friendly faces and offered a delicious breakfast of warm biscuits and gravy which was a perfect way to start out the day! We then loaded our horses to carpool to the beginning of the trail where our adventure would begin. Jasper was calm and I breathed in the fresh air so thankful that I had this opportunity to ride with friends on this warm, summer day. Four of us started out and I believe we were one of the first groups to begin that day. A few minutes into the ride, I had a sudden and terrifying thought! Oh no, Jasper is terrified of cows and I imagine that we would be encountering many of those today. My excitement quickly turned into anxiousness as I anticipated an unpleasant encounter. Instead of enjoying the scenery, I began searching for cows so I

could turn my horse away from the cow. As my anxiousness increased, Jasper felt my nerves and so he began to get antsy. He immediately smelled a strange smell, and saw the cows before I could distract him. He acted strangely, and I could tell he was eager to race out of this situation. I held him back. I knew that I had to calm down if I wanted to enjoy this ride at all! My good friends, Melissa and Jana, sensed my apprehension and started giving me pointers on what to do. Jana instructed me to keep my horse busy by riding to the back of the pack and back up again, over and over. I was so grateful for their kind words and helpful suggestions. I listened to their wise advice and asked them to watch me to see if I was doing it right. Jana and Melissa are much more experienced than

me and I valued their advice and expertise. Pretty soon, I was able to calm myself down, and immediately Jasper followed suit. I exclaimed out loud, “Jasper is no longer afraid of cows and it is no big deal if we see one!” As my attitude changed, Jasper appeared to not care a thing about the cows! Jasper and I were able to enjoy the rest of our ride which was so incredibly scenic. I felt a sense of peace wash over me as I looked over the gentle rolling hills. There were occasional ponds dotting the fields and a warm gentle breeze inviting me to just relax and enjoy this part of the countr On the car ride home, I realized that I had learned some valuable lessons during our four hour ride. I was reminded

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