By Anita P. Seavey
“Just let go. You'll be all right.”
I made a skeptical face and my fingers only clutched their safe tuft of mane all the tighter. The young woman at the end of the lunge line laughed a little as she flicked the rope, urging my horse to continue trotting despite my hesitation.
I can do this, I silently coached myself. I am not going to fall off... like I did the other three times I've ridden a trot bareback. I licked my lips nervously, feeling the grit from riding in a continuous circle in the gravel. Yeah, I bit the dust pretty good on those ones. I suppressed a groan. I'm not the greatest at pep talks.
There is nothing like riding a horse. The feeling of pounding hooves in the dirt beneath you, the fluid-like motion of a canter, and the brush of the wind through your hair. Yes, it sounds beautiful, and it is. But in all reality there are, bumps and bruises, and plenty of dirt that come with it. I had felt my fair share of these, and more often than not, they came while riding bareback at a trot. Trotting is the in-between gait: livelier than a walk and not as swift, or smooth, as a canter. I could ride at a run easily, even when I sent my horse into a flying canter through the pasture by accident. Trotting bareback however, always managed to get the best of me. I didn't have the support from stirrups and how on earth was I supposed to hang onto the reins while my hands were employed in clutching my horse's mane instead?
“Just try it,” the young woman instructed again. “Hold your arms out and feel your horse. You can do it.”
Just let go. I repeated the words to myself and took a deep breath. Finally, I uncurled my fingers from their strands of mane. I slowly, carefully let my arms stretch out from my sides. My mare never broke stride and I didn't fall off.
Suddenly, as I rode in that small circle at my most frustrating gait, hanging on nothing but air and letting myself flow with my horse's movements, I wasn't nervous. My whole body relaxed and I laughed. I had never had so much fun! My stiff posture dissolved in a breath of air and my distrustful spirit slipped through my fingers to get trampled under dusty hooves. I had no desire to clutch my horse's mane any longer, because this felt better. This felt right. I no longer fought my mare's movements; I moved with her. I no longer clutched tightly to this false sense of security in her strands of mane; I trusted.
I could have fallen. My horse could have lunged into a canter or sidestepped and left me behind in the dirt. I didn't get hurt, but I could have. I trusted her, and although it had risks, it brought me closer to my horse and helped me let go of my fears. I had stepped out of my comfort zone and in doing so, had discovered a whole new feeling of freedom and wonder.
When we put our trust in God, the only risks we face are in ourselves. We make mistakes, but God does not. When we put our full trust in Him, He never disappoints. We can choose to keep hanging on, to grip tighter to our sense of false securities, and fight to keep control of our own lives. But we can also choose to let go, to step out of our comfort zone, hold out our hands and say, “God, my life is Yours. I trust You”. Giving God control over every tiny detail in my life is never easy, but once I do, it brings peace. His plans for my life are so much greater than mine and He promises never to leave nor forsake me, every step of the way.
When I finally dismounted and my boots hit the ground, I had to resist the urge to fling my arms around my mare's neck in a grateful hug. After all, I'm practically an adult, and turning giddy with delight in front of company is hardly mature. Instead, I wove my fingers in her mane and took in a deep breath filled with the scent of dust and horse. What an incredible gift, I thought, that God chooses to show us pictures of His love in the little things.
“'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'” Jeremiah 29:11
It's never to late to let go and hand God the reins, but hang on to your hats, because He'll take you for the ride of a lifetime!
I made a skeptical face and my fingers only clutched their safe tuft of mane all the tighter. The young woman at the end of the lunge line laughed a little as she flicked the rope, urging my horse to continue trotting despite my hesitation.
I can do this, I silently coached myself. I am not going to fall off... like I did the other three times I've ridden a trot bareback. I licked my lips nervously, feeling the grit from riding in a continuous circle in the gravel. Yeah, I bit the dust pretty good on those ones. I suppressed a groan. I'm not the greatest at pep talks.
There is nothing like riding a horse. The feeling of pounding hooves in the dirt beneath you, the fluid-like motion of a canter, and the brush of the wind through your hair. Yes, it sounds beautiful, and it is. But in all reality there are, bumps and bruises, and plenty of dirt that come with it. I had felt my fair share of these, and more often than not, they came while riding bareback at a trot. Trotting is the in-between gait: livelier than a walk and not as swift, or smooth, as a canter. I could ride at a run easily, even when I sent my horse into a flying canter through the pasture by accident. Trotting bareback however, always managed to get the best of me. I didn't have the support from stirrups and how on earth was I supposed to hang onto the reins while my hands were employed in clutching my horse's mane instead?
“Just try it,” the young woman instructed again. “Hold your arms out and feel your horse. You can do it.”
Just let go. I repeated the words to myself and took a deep breath. Finally, I uncurled my fingers from their strands of mane. I slowly, carefully let my arms stretch out from my sides. My mare never broke stride and I didn't fall off.
Suddenly, as I rode in that small circle at my most frustrating gait, hanging on nothing but air and letting myself flow with my horse's movements, I wasn't nervous. My whole body relaxed and I laughed. I had never had so much fun! My stiff posture dissolved in a breath of air and my distrustful spirit slipped through my fingers to get trampled under dusty hooves. I had no desire to clutch my horse's mane any longer, because this felt better. This felt right. I no longer fought my mare's movements; I moved with her. I no longer clutched tightly to this false sense of security in her strands of mane; I trusted.
I could have fallen. My horse could have lunged into a canter or sidestepped and left me behind in the dirt. I didn't get hurt, but I could have. I trusted her, and although it had risks, it brought me closer to my horse and helped me let go of my fears. I had stepped out of my comfort zone and in doing so, had discovered a whole new feeling of freedom and wonder.
When we put our trust in God, the only risks we face are in ourselves. We make mistakes, but God does not. When we put our full trust in Him, He never disappoints. We can choose to keep hanging on, to grip tighter to our sense of false securities, and fight to keep control of our own lives. But we can also choose to let go, to step out of our comfort zone, hold out our hands and say, “God, my life is Yours. I trust You”. Giving God control over every tiny detail in my life is never easy, but once I do, it brings peace. His plans for my life are so much greater than mine and He promises never to leave nor forsake me, every step of the way.
When I finally dismounted and my boots hit the ground, I had to resist the urge to fling my arms around my mare's neck in a grateful hug. After all, I'm practically an adult, and turning giddy with delight in front of company is hardly mature. Instead, I wove my fingers in her mane and took in a deep breath filled with the scent of dust and horse. What an incredible gift, I thought, that God chooses to show us pictures of His love in the little things.
“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” - Psalms 55:22
“'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.'” Jeremiah 29:11
It's never to late to let go and hand God the reins, but hang on to your hats, because He'll take you for the ride of a lifetime!
Great story Nita! I always like reading the things you write!
ReplyDelete~Alice~
Wow! I only just found your blog!! I was so excited to find another person passionate about horses and God! This story was so encouraging and I related to it heaps. You get that fear rising in your heart but pushing through with God's strength and He brings joy and freedom. This post makes me feel like dancing in itself.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your sweet comment, Rachel! It made me smile to read it this morning! Isn't it amazing the lessons God can teach us through the companionship of a horse? It's always so fun getting to connect with other girls who have the same values as I do - I'm so glad you enjoyed reading!
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