We were about ten years old and one day after school we decided to go to the stables and check out the horses. We both had an affinity for horses and used to gallop around the play ground pretending to be wild and free. Neither of us owned a horse nor could we ever ever rent one. Cynthia was a foster child and I felt like one.
So at the stables we found our favorites to feed and caress. Mine was a Palomino and hers a Quarter horse. They seemed so cooped up in their little stalls and feeling a little antsy..a bit like us. We took one look at each other and smiled. We knew exactly what each was thinking. Nobody was anywhere around. They had bridles on, but no reins or saddle. We could just lay on them and hold the bridle. So after opening our gates we hopped on our chosen horses and took off out to the pasture. But that was not enough. We really wanted to feel the power of the gallop, so we opened the gate of the pasture and took off through the wild wetlands. The horses followed each other. Mine followed hers. I found it easier to just hang on to the neck of the horse and sometimes I squeezed the mane very tightly, but I was afraid to hurt my horse. the bumping up and down hurt at first, but then I found a way to relax that made me feel like I was moving as one with the horse. That worked much better.
Hearts a pumping.... we trusted the horses and when they finally slowed down we encouraged them to turn around and head back, but some jack rabbits shot out and startled them. We found ourselves riding through the golf course. It was going to be fine because the stable was just on the other side of the golf course. However, the golfers didn't like it and some men in a cart began chasing us and screaming. I don't know what they were screaming, but I kept my head resting on the neck of the horse. (I have another story similar to this about this same golf course.) Anyway, we made it back to the stables and the horses seemed to know where to go. The golfers gave up on us and no one ever knew what we had done. The horses were happy and we went to visit them often, but we only took that wild ride just once.
