Cantering

Today I took Stuey to his 4th or 5th horseback riding lesson.

We shared the arena with an advanced rider-a middle school gal who was receiving lessons on the other half of the stadium with a different teacher. The students long hair bounced on her back and she was so graceful cantoring and trotting; posting seemingly perfectly. Posture perfectly upright.
 I watched her with fascination-how fast she made the horse go and what incredible control she had of it. And how much fun it looked. And hard work, too.

I realized that while she was on that horse, time was probably frozen still for her. She  noticed every small shift and change in the horses body as the horse ran along and knew how to respond accordingly. I watched her and remembered those days of youth during flute lessons or basketball when I was completely engulfed with focus and effort. I suppose nowadays I have small moments like that, but not to the depth like I did in adolesence. (I think that needs to change.)

Stuey was also fascinated by the other rider and his tendency was to keep looking over and watching her.  I didn't fault him one bit-so fun to watch! The contrast between Stuey and the middle schooler was quite stark. Stuey and his old pony, Bob, walking around the arena with an occasional trot.
Versus the middle schooler's horse running constant circles for nearly 20 minutes.

The whole scene gave me such an appreciation for Stuey's teacher, Becca, and how wonderful she is with younger kids. She really explains things so well, makes them comfortable and challenges them just enough. It was fun for both Stuey and I to see what it is that he can look forward to doing someday when he gets bigger and more confident!

Zoya


Random kid quotes from the past week, before I forget them!

~Stuey: "Want to play people?"(Stuey referring to little trains and figurines which Nora and him play inside a home made cardboard house)

Nora: "Sure! As long as your people always do what my people tell them to!"

Stuey: "Ok, Nora!"

I couldn't believe Stuey agreed to such an arrangement!


~Stuey, when crawling under the warm covers of our bed in the morning before getting up. His legs perched over mine. He says, "ahhh...mom...your legs are so warm like a hot tub"


~Stuey (while playing with Nora and Estella)
"Its so far...farther than this whole world, whole globe, past this town, past outer space, past God, past Phoebe."


~ The other night I was tucking Stuey into bed. I said, "You have all the doggies in the house in your  bed now" as Tank and Jake were cuddled up with him. Stuey and paused together and I said, "well, except Roxy. But Roxy is gone now. "
Stuey said, "Mom, Roxy isn't gone. She is in my heart with me."

A post Roxy walk in Abercrombie

Stuey finds a gravel hole