Bindi was born wild in southern Nevada. When she was 2 years old, Bindi was rounded up with the rest of her herd by the BLM and put up for public auction. She was purchased by her current owner for $200. They spent many enjoyable years exploring the trails in and around Poway and the surrounding hills in east San Diego County. But the demands of a new full-time job meant her owner had little time for riding, so she put an ad in Craigslist seeking a lessor. At around the same time, I had just ended a year of English / dressage lessons on a lovely horse named Chief, and was looking for a chance to escape the arena and do some good old-fashioned "yee-haw" trail riding!
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| Bareback on Chief |
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| Thanks! |
Many of my friends and family think I'm nuts for getting into equestrian pursuits so late in the game; at 53 my healing abilities and flexibility are greatly reduced, so even a simple fall can have long-lasting repercussions. Honestly, the danger just adds to the endorphin rush. We're in danger all the time. I'd rather meet my end doing something I love. When I have a close call -- horse startling & rearing at a rattlesnake on the trail; a loose saddle spilling me onto the roadway with cars coming; a scary plastic bag rustling in the breeze setting my half-ton friend on an uncontrolled gallop for the barn -- Ye Haw, I survived!!
Horses are herd animals, intensely social. In the wild, they are prey (on the menu), and rely on the herd and the herd leader to keep them safe. Domesticated horses are no different. To know a horse is to engage in relationship, build trust through ritual and repetition, and enjoy what unfolds.
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