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When it looks easy, it is so tempting! |
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Written by Mary Charles Churchill-Nash
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Monday, 24 March 2008 |
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Skipping Easter services to go watch a friend's cross-country ride at FENCE, I spent sunrise feeding my horses, listening to the birds, and enjoying the QUIET. (Six days a week I am assaulted by construction noise. A subdivision on one side and highway widening on the other.) It was a perfect day to sit outside in the sun and watch handsome horses gallop big fences. Carolyn and I found a spot near the waterjump that had a great view of most of the course. We missed the early rides, and left mid-afternoon…so I can't say we saw every ride…but the horses/riders we did see made it look so easy! Saw a few refusals, but no falls. When the trips are so smooth it makes me want to get out there and gallop those jumps too! (Reality check…I gave up big jumps in my early twenties) When our friend galloped out of the box, she had a nice smooth trip up-hill. From our vantage point it was a lovely sight seeing her silhouette at the crest of the hill against the clear sky. The down-hill looked steady and controlled…then as she passed by us she grinned and waved! Mistake. She almost missed the water…but luckily recovered her presence of mind and managed to just swing a bit wide on her approach. This startled her horse a bit and he leapt into the water (her level was just a trip thru the water with no jump into it) and almost unseated her. With a nice recovery they finished the course still smiling.
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