Page 99 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL WINTER SPRING 2022

ed by a wrangler, a frightened five-year-old
walking round and round the corral on a
horse suddenly started to cry. His hat had
L fallen off. For me, that was the last straw.
Fulfilling a childhood fantasy inspired by watching
Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet, I was on a
horseback riding vacation at a guest ranch in
northern California. I’d been told this was the per-
fect place for beginners. What they neglected to
say was that the beginners were all under six. I
was stuck in this kiddie corral with them. The little
girl in front of me began to shriek, “I want my
mommy.”
Near tears myself, I begged the wrangler to get
me out of this horse kindergarten. I pointed to the
advanced riders in the distance, galloping across
wildflower-strewn hills “I want to ride with them!
“Please!” I begged her.
“Okay,” She lifted the little buckaroos off their
horses and sent them off for milk and cookies, “If
you can lope around this ring five times without
falling off, tomorrow I’ll let you ride with the inter-
mediates.”
I gripped the horn so tightly my knuckles turned
white, pressed my thighs to the saddle, and prayed
to the horse gods to help me stay on.
I didn’t fall, but that was the most loping I did,
because the next day I got to ride with the inter-
mediates, but they were mainly retired folks who’d
come for the scenery, not to gallop. We moved at
turtle pace and I realized the only difference be-
tween this group and the little kids was that the
intermediates didn’t cry.
Back at the barn, I cornered the head wrangler.
“Listen, if I wanted to be on a stationary horse, I
would have ridden the carousel in New York City.
Please let me ride with the advanced group.”
“But you’ve only been on a horse two days,” he
said. “What happens when you have to get across
a ditch? You don’t know how to jump!”
“Teach me!” I pleaded.
I took a private lesson, and at the end of the
hour I was so sore I could barely get off my horse.
Still, for the rest of the week, I rode with the ad-
vanced group, galloping across the meadows,
splashing in puddles, and jumping ditches. My en-
tire body ached but I didn’t care. I was riding!

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