Sisters

Saturday, August 07, 2021 —(In 15 days, August’s full “Sturgeon” moon will rise nearest to earth.)

Rosie is twenty-five years old, she’s quick-moving, elegant, and a wonderful driving horse. She has a mind of her own, a good one and not dangerous, but she can be a lot of horse and will test a handler.

Even after I had been trained to drive Rosie, she seemed frightening. She’s also irresistible. Rosie is an experienced carriage horse. She visibly lights up in harness, carries herself like a pro, is a balanced quick mover and exudes energy.

She seemed frightening because I’d never before driven a horse. Her quick responsiveness called for a more experienced handler, so I dropped a dream of driving her. A couple of years later, someone suggested having Rosie’s younger sister, Sunni, trained to drive. Driving Sunni would familiarize me with the basics.

Sunni is agreeable, easy to get along with, and likes people. I decided to send her for training and a month later began learning to drive her. Handling Sunni seemed a piece of cake, which never changed. After bringing her home, driving her regularly, I became comfortable in various settings and on different terrains, totally enjoying this horse.

I wanted another go at driving Rosie, had a trainer refresh her, and began taking lessons. Rosie’s energy differs from Sunni and calls for more handling. Now, I was ready for the challenges.

The caption photo, of Rosie’s workout, is from my neighbor, Frank, and taken shortly after Rosie’s return from the trainer. I practiced driving her until I became courageous enough to leave the dry lot, when we begin working on neighborhood streets.

Sunni’s dependability and consistency taught me to drive. Rosie’s energy increased my perceptiveness and strengthened my handling skills.

Ever since I’ve routinely driven both horses. We’ve begun again this summer, and by now, both mares are showing increased strength over distances. After driving, their breathing sooner is achieving normal.

Driving requires mutual trust between horse and driver. It’s a wonderful sport, fun and thrilling.

Dear Friends: There are rewards from routinely interacting with more than one horse. Diana