the wind is my friend

During one of the hardest times in my life, when I was a single divorced parent with a young child going to college and working two jobs, I ran 6 days a week – just to get through the stress. I ran through the heat, cold, exhaustion, pain – and yes, the wind. I hated the wind the most. I lived out in the country on a hill (and now live on a different hill, what’s up with that?) the wind would whip so hard some days it felt like I wasn’t even moving. After a while I learned to work it to my advantage. I used it to build strength. During the most difficult times, when the resistance was unreal (and I’m not talking just the wind) I would tell myself over and over again “the wind is my friend”…said to the beat of a runner’s pace. My windy encounters made me stronger physically and mentally. I couldn’t duplicate the resistance the wind added, if I tried. I know turbulent winds can do horrible things to people and places, but that’s not the point.

Just yesterday I found myself riding in strong winds, the kind that whips up sand storms. One of which we drove through while hauling our empty trailer up to Iron Horse. We were given the option to ride inside, or brave the wind outside. All three of us riders opted to give it a whirl (no pun intended) outside.

We started with the usual lunging. Koda listened well, but being his lazy self kept breaking his stride. Patty mentioned he was making me work way too hard. She said a horse like Koda does require more active movement from a person, but showed me a more effective approach holding the whip in a lower pressure position. If he wasn’t listening and I needed to whack him, to do so lower behind his legs where it will only take once. I didn’t see Brad and Nemo start out, but heard things went well.

I’m happy to say the boys were both good listeners even tho the wind whipped us and everything else. It was good desensitizing. They earned repeated praise from Patty. She said she was impressed with them and has old broke horses that wouldn’t listen as well, given the strong wind. Patty also thought it was my best ride yet on Koda, because “he looks like he’s really trying hard to do everything your asking him to do” and I agree. He was more focused on me. While riding with the wind, I was reminded of my running days. There is something about horseback riding that is so thought provoking. Both Brad and I rode the boys over the poles, around cones, all over the arena and even over the practice wooden bridge-type square. It was fun! The wind made for beautiful flowing manes, which switched directions at any given time – and yes, it added resistance and made us all stronger.