A Tight Turn
Jeremy had set out their practice course carefully. Competition would be stiff and challenging. But, Hunter was a nimble horse, obedient and agile; and Jeremy was dedicated and experienced. Rigorous training to perfect turns and timing would make them winners.
Dirt flew out from Hunter’s hooves as he skittered around the tight turn to take the triple again. As usual, the stallion clipped the first rail but he landed lightly to fly gracefully over the second bar, just a little too far. He balked at the third, chesting the pole to the ground. Jeremy jerked the reins in frustration to line up Hunter to take the combination again.
As they left the arena and went to the stable, the veins on Jeremy’s neck stood out like rods; his face was rigid as his erect body rose and fell with the jogging of the horse. Free from the enquiring gaze of onlookers, he flung the crop across the yard, jumped off his horse and jerked the reins.
“Stupid beast! Couldn’t you do better than that?” he yelled.
Jeremy’s frustration was compounded when he noticed Hunter limping. “Just a pulled muscle,” said the vet, “No jumping for a week. Mild exercise, walking only, three times a day. I’ll see him next week.”
By then the season would be over. Dejectedly, Jeremy realized how hard he had been pushing himself and his horse to compete. He had known the course was difficult, the pressure great. Frustration had been mounting and come to a climax. Now the rhythm of stress was broken. They would have to go out of the race, slow down, rethink their lives.
A couple of weeks later Jeremy was riding Hunter along the ridge of the river bank as the sun was setting. The rhythm of their gentle canter, melted their actions and mind into one. Jeremy was enjoying riding again, remembering how, from an early age, he had delighted in the trained strength of the horse combined with the mind of the human producing a harmony of liquid motion.
His thoughts accompanied Hunter’s hoof beats as they walked, trotted, cantered and galloped each day. He voiced his thoughts in whispers, conversations and shouts with Hunter, with God and with himself. He found some answers. Also he discovered patience and contentment with himself.
Jeremy redesigned the practice course and developed a new pattern for his daily life; some tight turns and triple jumps needed rethinking.
by Andrea Kidd
