9. Walk Before You Canter

Walk Before You Canter

Hadley was beyond excited to be sitting on top of Snow White and watched closely as Dorothy secured the saddle and clipped a lead rope to the bridle. She was eager to learn, and hoped eventually she could set up and mount the horse on her own. Her feet sat comfortably in the stirrups, and she held the horn with both hands as she listened closely to Dorothy's explanation of what to do. "Okay, dear. Does it all make sense to you? It's important to feel confident ‘cause a horse can tell if you're afraid or nervous and it could make them nervous, too."

"I think I got it all. How will I know if she is feeling nervous?"

"Well, horses can be hard to predict but I say if she starts to shake or tremble a bit you'll know. She could also plant herself in place and be nervous about walkin'. Butterscotch, on the other hand, takes off running when she's nervous. Lucky for you, Snow White is an extremely calm girl. If you treat her nicely and with respect, she should do the same right on back."

"Okay. Got it." Hadley made a mental note to always check that Snow White wasn't shaking or nervous.

"Snow White here is used to taking young'uns on rides during the summer so she should be okay."

"Are you ready to walk around?" Dorothy held the lead rope in her right hand and motioned with her left toward the surrounding land. She didn't have a designated corral since it was something Harold always meant to build but never had the time. When teaching lessons, Dorothy stuck to one general small area of the farm and so the horses have grown used to making their own circles when ridden. Snow White was a great horse for Hadley to be riding since she listened well and was patient. She also loved to navigate the beaten path surrounding the whole farm, but this is something that Hadley would have to wait to experience.

"Yes!" Hadley yipped out her response, filled with elation. She quickly placed her right hand over her mouth, eyes big and added, "Whoops, sorry… I have to remember to stay calm, right?"

"Yes, dear. Calm and loving is best. Best in life, really. But like I said, she's used to the little ones, so I reckon she can handle a little excitement."

"I can be calm!" Hadley laughed; fully aware she was anything but calm. She was ready to go.

"I'm sure you can, dear. Alright, I'm gonna hold on to the lead rope so that we can take it nice and slow. You go ahead and when you're ready give her a gentle little knock with your feet. Not too hard. She'll know it means to start." Hadley locked her eyes on Dorothy's and nodded her agreement. She wiggled her body slightly, to make sure she was secure and held the horn with both hands. She took a deep breath in and on exhale, she pressed her feet gently against Snow White's thighs. Just like that, they were moving.

Hadley gripped the horn tight, feeling her body tense up. She was afraid of falling off even though Snow White was walking quite slowly. Dorothy guided the pair by the lead rope as they made their way around the open land. After a few minutes, the tension melted from Hadley's body. Her shoulders dropped and her grip lightened. She felt comfortable and safe on top of the beautiful horse. She tested brief moments of lifting one hand off the horn. There was a slight breeze in the air enough to keep her hair behind her shoulders without blowing wildly.

Dorothy must have picked up on Hadley's ease because she gradually loosened her hold on the rope. "How's it feeling up there, Hadley?"

"Ohmigosh, this is so cool! I was secretly a little afraid, but this is so cool!" Hadley giggled and smiled wide.

"Want to try on your own?"

"Really?" Hadley's eyes widened, not used to this level of trust.

"Yes, dear. I can tell that Snow White already trusts'ya. I'm gonna take this rope off and leave ya go. Try not to kick up too much speed, my running days are long gone." Dorothy carefully unlatched the lead and reminded Hadley how to speed up, slow down, or stop. "All you, dear," Dorothy said, waving her on.

Hadley pressed her feet against Snow White again and they restarted their walk. You got this. Hadley's heart was pounding but her muscles remained relaxed. "Okay, Snow White. This is my very first ride so please be gentle with me. I think we're doing great. Don't you think so?" Hadley questioned the horse and almost expected a response. She giggled to herself and continued to talk quietly to the horse. Hadley eventually felt confident enough to signal the horse to increase their pace. She took a moment to remember the details about how to post trot. Here we go, Hadley thought.

Suddenly their pace doubled. Ohmigosh, this is fast. Hadley moved her body up and down in tandem with the horse's movements. It felt okay but she quickly grew afraid of this pace. That's enough of that. She pulled gently on the reins to slow back down. Back at a comfortable walk, she guided Snow White to turn left and back toward Dorothy. She impressed herself when the turn actually worked.

Hadley felt like a natural extension of the horse. She continued until she approached Dorothy and then successfully signaled for Snow White to stop. "Did you see that, Dorothy! Was that a trot? I felt like a rocketship!"

"Yes, it was," Dorothy chuckled. "A beautiful ride, overall. You did a great job guiding her to turn around." Hadley's smile grew as she stretched her body forward and extended her arm to pet Snow White's mane. "I really like her, she's amazing." Hadley worried and hoped Dorothy didn't mind that she was sharing her feelings. When she tried to express herself with her dad, she would be chastised or dismissed. She could feel the heat build in her cheeks as she straightened back up and avoided eye contact.

"That's good, dear. I really think she likes'ya, too. She wouldn't have listened so well otherwise." Dorothy's words eased Hadley's self-doubt. "We got about twenty minutes until I gotta tidy up. If'ya got the time, why don't you keep'on riding. Just keep it to an easy slow walk while my eyes are distracted. I'll flag'ya down when I need'ya to head toward the barn." Dorothy's offer was a question, but it sounded matter of fact to Hadley.

"Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Of course not, dear. I think Miss White will love it even more than you will. Pretty thing loves the attention." She smiled at Hadley and waved her into motion. Hadley watched as Dorothy started to walk back to the barn, but then turned around. She listened to Dorothy holler out a reminder to trust the process. Hadley paired a confident "got it" with a big smile as she guided the horse into the field. A few minutes into the walk, Hadley decided to practice stopping and starting with Snow White. She also worked on turning left and right, wanting to feel confident in her ability to communicate with Snow White.

Feeling the chill in the air, and noticing the sun start to dip, she redirected their walk back toward the barn and enjoyed their last few minutes together. She spent the time talking to the horse in hushed tones, sharing her inner thoughts as they moved through the field. Hadley felt in control and confident. She felt like a totally different girl while on the horse compared to at school or at home. She hadn't expected to talk to the horse as much as she was, or at all, but really enjoyed having the freedom to speak without judgment. She felt like this horse was the friend she'd been missing and just now realized she needed.

Looking up, Hadley spotted Dorothy waving at her from a distance. "Okay, Snow White, looks like our fun is over. This has been the absolute best day ever, pretty girl. Thank you for trusting me. I really needed this." Hadley removed a hand from the horn and gave Snow White a gentle rub next to the saddle. "I can't wait to come back," she whispered as they approached Dorothy at the barn and slowed to a stop. Dorothy guided them into the barn and had Snow White pause next to a small bundle of straw. She walked Hadley through how to safely dismount, instructing her to step down onto the straw to make it easier. Once Hadley reached the ground, she walked around to Snow White's muzzle. She placed her hand gently against the horse's snout and was surprised when she nuzzled into her hand. "I'll miss you too, girl."

"You won't need to miss her for long," Dorothy interrupted. "You're welcome to come back any day after school so'long as your dad's okay with it and you keep your grades up. Oh, and help me with the stable some'ore."

"I would love that! I really had a great time and didn't mind the cleaning part, either."

"Excellent. Well, you better head on home before it gets dark out. Make sure you tell your father I say hello. I'd love to meet him sometime if he's ever free."

"I'll let him know." A white lie that Hadley hoped would go undetected. She left feeling a sense of peace; her anxieties from earlier completely dissolved. Walking across the field, she paused to look back at the barn and noticed the dusky sky transition into a beautiful pink ombre as the sun started to set. Twisting forward again, she continued her walk back home. She sucked in a few big breaths of fresh autumn air before she ducked between the fence posts and continued her walk. She wasn't sure what tonight would bring, but for now she felt completely at ease.

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