Jax Attax

From the moment of my first pony ride, nearly 20 years ago, I have been in love with horses.  I remember the place was some sort of carnival.  I was so excited by the new, fun activity that I had discovered.  I resisted the end of my turn, not wanting to get off, and the wrangler took pity on me and let me stay in the pen.  I got to hold the rope to help guide the pony around in a circle for the other kids.  It is one of those things I wonder about on occasion - one of the few times I ask myself “what if”.  This particular “if” has me contemplating what my life might have been like if I had been raised around horses.  I know such notions can be dangerous, but I’m not looking back at my life with any angst.  I’m merely taking a moment to consider another possibility – like reading a great book that comes so vividly to life in my imagination that I feel like I become the protagonist.  Today I went on a trail ride at Fort McDowell, outside of Phoenix.  My horse, Ernie, was ready to end his day before we even embarked on our hour-and-a-half tour, but he was a great sport.  It was such a gorgeous day and the views on the vast expanse of the ranch were spectacular, especially along the river.  There were many sights worth mentioning, but my favorite was the bald eagle’s nest with two baby bald eagles peering out from the top.  The path we followed was hilly, narrow and rock-laden so there was no galloping.  That is probably for the best, considering I haven’t been on a horse in a few years.  The experience was so peaceful, I could have stayed out there all day.  I pictured myself in an alternate universe, on a farm in the Midwest, keeping horses and living off the land.  A simple daydream that seems amazingly fulfilling.  Overall, today was a great one - all in a day’s work!!