Day 275 - Young Riders

Thought of the day: It was the last day of Jasmine's horseback riding camp.  The kids finished with a little horse show to exhibit what they had learned during the week - bareback riding, trotting, jumping over obstacle, etc.  I was happy to see that Jasmine was becoming a more confident rider.  My favorite part of the show was when each kid got to ride up to the audience and say something about their horses.  Most riders said that their horses were nice but a little naughty at times. I guessed it always took some time for a rider to bond with a horse.  Jasmine said something to that effect too and then she patted her horse gently and said with a smile on her face: "My horse took good care of me." I was glad that she was treating her horse as her riding partner and not merely as a wild creature that needed to be conquered and controlled.  A healthy and nurturing relationship inevitably builds on mutual care and respect.  That's true for the relationship between two humans, and that's also true for the relationship between man and other living beings. If Jasmine gets this message, which seems to be the case, this week of riding lessons and long commutes would already be made worthwhile.

Photo of the day:

Jasmine patiently waiting for her turn in the horse show at the far left corner.