"The best thing for the inside of a (wo)man is the outside of a horse." R. Reagan

Me on Molly today

I love horses. I always have. As a kid we went to Kansas we would go out to family farms and ride whatever horses were available. When I was 10 I finally convinced my parents to pay for riding lessons for my birthday and Christmas. I was able to do that the next year, too. For 10 Saturdays during the summer I was in heaven for about an hour.

When I was about 13 I was so desperate to be around horses that I would go a couple times a week and hotwalk polo ponies for about $3 or $4 for at least that many hours of work. Hot, sweaty, jumpy horses that we would walk up and down, up and down between chukkers (periods in polo) and afterwards. I could walk as many as six at a time -- three on each side -- when they played outside; just two at a time when they played inside. Yeah, I was in heaven then, too.

Windy & Me back in the day

When I was just about to turn 14 my parents bought me a horse. Windy. She was four years old, still fairly green, and had been used by a young guy to barrel race. It took us a while to get used to each other, but for the next five years she was my best friend. Life then took those terrible turns it likes to take and we had to sell her. I'm so glad I believe "all horses go to heaven" and I have a feeling she's there waiting for me.

This afternoon my husband and I were able to go out to a friend's and for the first time in at least 30 years I rode a horse. I have never, ever stopped loving horses. I told myself all my life that somehow I will have another. I just haven't figured out how to do that... Anyway, for a very short time, I was again in heaven. I rode a huge draft horse named Molly. As my friend said, she would be a "pocket pony" if she could. She was wonderful for my first ride in 30+ years and I'm ever grateful to our friends for allowing us that time. We even got Jack to ride for the first time in his life (I swear once I get him hooked we'll be able to find a way to have a couple horses! Keep your fingers crossed!).

It was a totally wonderful afternoon.