Setting the pace

I went riding yesterday. Four hours including much walking- which is good and easy. Then there's trotting- lean back, relax, sink into the saddle. Or  else you'll bounce, bounce, bounce.



After conquering the level logging roads, we, well, the horses scrambled up steep hills and picked their way down the other side. I called it timber bashing, our leader said bush whacking or something. Either way, this was no sedate trail ride.

 One time we had to dismount and let the horses pick their way down the pine needle covered rock slope, "Just make sure you are uphill of the horse in case they go down." Good advice, scary advice.  We made little jokes comparing ourselves to the man from Snowy River.

We didn't go down anything quite this steep but it felt like it.
And aren't these great rocks!

But we made it. I was riding a lovely old quarter horse, a gentleman name Wahoo.  He was barrel trained and every time I shifted my sore buns, he moved right or left. He quickly figured out I had no idea what I was doing with my thighs besides trying to stay on and he cut me some slack.  So I gave him some slack and he all the grass as he wanted whenever we stopped.


At one point Wahoo's owner, who appears to be a horse whisperer/ equine wizard, asked if I wanted to canter. Well, I've ridden some but it's often months or years in between rides. I know the canter of a horse is much easier than the bouncy trot. But it feels so out of control. Well, yeah- I have a thousand pound animal beneath my frail body and they could be totally in control, if you let them.

 I hemmed and hawed.  She turned in her saddle and looked at me, "It's up to you. If you're ready to canter, we'll canter. If not, we won't."

It wasn't if YOU don't want to, YOU don't have to.

 It was, "If you aren't ready to canter, WE won't canter."

She continued, "The rule is - the group only rides as hard as the most vulnerable person can handle. And one of us will canter with you. The goal is to keep you safe."


It was humbling. And yes, I did canter. And jumped a log while cantering up a hill; I should say I stayed on while my horse cantered and jumped. It was fun.  Dismounting and  escorting a big horse down a very steep slope covered with pine needles was not fun, but it was empowering. We accomplished something!  We were a strong team.

It was a glorious day- like this. 

As I soaked in epson salts last night and examined my bruises, I thought about riding as a team,  in the context of the life of faith.

What if our heart goal was this?

"We only go at the pace of the most vulnerable among us?  

When we're together, we're a team." 

Of my fellow riders yesterday, the other three women ride all the time.  They could have cantered or even galloped much of the trail.  Two of them study horse anatomy and one is a world-known horse hoof trimmer. Not a farrier- she trims hooves so they don't need shoes and their leg problems are solved. It's an art and she teaches others. She was flown to Spain to teach this technique.

 She's a great teacher, "Lean back, settle into the seat. Looks good. Give him a little rein. Don't touch the saddle horn."  Not bossy, not all the time but when she saw me floundering, she was there with a wise word.

As Christians, we don't necessarily watch out for the weakest among us. 

We're in our Bible studies and we'd welcome a newbie,  but do we take the time to notice their trepidation?  Do we learn how to gently instruct with wisdom and grace?   

We know, after some experience,  how to scramble up and down the rough patches in life,

 but do we take the time to slow down and go at the pace of the weakest, the most vulnerable? 

On the trail, I felt safe. I felt welcomed, no one seemed to mind, no one rolled their eyes or sighed when I lagged behind, then bounced in my saddle as Wahoo trotted and we caught up. I did miss some of their conversations  but I was just so glad to be included, to be learning more about riding, to be out in God's creation and on the back of a big, gentle horse.  I didn't have the confidence to take a camera so I'll use some pictures from last year. Once again it was beautiful- green and lush with wildflowers and flowering bushes.  And wonderful rocks.



And after our time together on horseback, we put away the tack and let the horses loose in the pasture. Then we drove into town and celebrated our victories, figured out our journey with a map and shared a meal. We told our stories and got to know each other.

 Sounds like what Jesus might have done, 

"Look at where we've walked today,  

remember the fish you caught, the people we met, 

 be aware of God's miracles. 

 Let's share the meal."

Riding the trail or walking the faith- it's all about being part of a team. A team that considers the more vulnerable and chooses to slow down the pace.  

The goal is to get everyone home.