there was wind in her hair, freedom in the air
and then she rode.
sand in the arena. a chair, to compensate for stature lacked
scoffing, the trainer urged a proper mounting
unaided, though it be ever so high
the noble creature tossed its head, impatient to fly
awkward, excited, palms greased with sweat
foot placed in stirrup at almost chest height
hauled on the saddle ring - but had not the strenght
back down she dropped and cried, it's too hard!
again, said the trainer, you can do it i'm sure
so once more she stepped up, and reached
straining with effort, she pulled herself up
swung her leg miles on and over
and lo! neatly she sat
breathless with pride
atop the tall creature, imposing in its might
reins in hand, wrapped just so
not too slack, not too tight
chaffing at its bit, the horse shook its mane
she knew, though not how, to loosen the rein
pressing her heels to its sides
she urged the mount to ride
around the ring they went
sedately paced, the gentle mount at ease
responding to the slightest touch of the rein
docile as any, yet masking its true nature
the speed of flight.
impatient, she kicked the mount twice
then gasped as it broke into a trot
her thought-of control wavered, then broke
as she gave in to panic, and the feel of being balanced
precariously on nothing more than a saddle
and the ground seeming so far away
that a fall looked very possible
and she hauled on the reins and ground the horse to a stop.
rueing her earlier cockiness
she walked the horse again
when it seemed she got her balance back
she tried, once more, to trot
stand in the stirrups! lean back! said the trainer
she was bouncing like a pea in the saddle
weightless, untethered and free
but whoafully uncontrolled
and so she dragged on the reins again
and the horse gracefully came to a halt.
breathing hard, pounding heart
she grinned, and thus it came to pass
she swung her leg over, and balanced in the stirrup
before dropping back to the ground
to the front of the mount
she patted its shoulder in thanks
and turned to walk off
for all of five minutes, this girl of the earth
laid claim to tame a beast
the mount suffered her
to borne high up above
mane in her face, girth tween her legs
wind in her hair, sand in her shoes
and thus she rode.
