I didn’t do barn work this a.m. I should have. Instead, my day began with a long conversation with Mike about who might win the Kentucky Derby. He was going to Rotterdam to place bets. I was torn between putting money down on either Hence or Irish War Cry. I did not – good thing, the winner was Always a Dream. I sure have been out of the Derby loop.

I later watched many, many lessons, as closely as I could. I began seeing a pattern, of what’s involved in riding a horse. Seems like beginner and advanced alike are working on similar things. I tried putting things in mind so that I would do what others were doing successfully.

I eventually rode Raleigh, the steady eddy riding stable horse – the one who knows when he has a beginner or advanced student on his back. It did not feel like I was on him for very long. The lesson when okay. Karol and Sally told me it went really, really well, but I was skeptical. They tell everyone this. However, I was in alignment and had moments when at the trot I was floating along. I would have done better, but I was tired and felt sad about leaving, in part because I felt like that with time, I would have improved even more as a rider.

Meagan, Sally’s 14 year old granddaughter, rode after me and had a brilliant ride. She was so very connected to Raleigh. Earlier, I watched another young rider ride who was not at all connected to her horse. The difference was that Meagan did not have an agenda and the other rider did. The other rider could not meet her own expectations and hence was and remained very unhappy.

The next had a lesson on my pal Gabby. She seemed a bit on edge when I went to saddle her up, and the same when I got on her back. She just kept on going back to the peanut gallery. So I instead decided to get off of her and do an agility demo. This went really well – together we had a good time. Later I thought that I should have gotten back on her after, and done the obstacles. This thought came to me too late. I sure am going to miss her. I think she’d be an excellent trail horse.

I’m on the train now and it’s getting darker. I am now seeing the backside of what I believe is Schenectady. I will get to Chicago tomorrow a.m. I have two full bags of food – Kelly, a barn rider, and Karol put together this surprise for me. There is enough food in these bags for a week.

I went to eat and I got choked up – what kind people they are. What most impressed me about Karol and her partner Sally is that they set horses and riders up for success; hence, the kind words, focusing on the positive in all situations and abandoning the negatives.

I am not a good rider – but then I have never before had any consistent formal training. The arena is a microcosm of the larger world – a condensed version, if you will.

In the time I’ve been in NY the leaves have appeared on the trees. Now I’m going home and will experience a second spring.

I did not get a level II letter of recommendation, which would have gone in my upgrade packet. I now fully understand that when one focuses on goals that they lose sight of their destination. Sounds like a cliché but as with all clichés there is some truth to this.

Now starting to look forward to getting home and getting back to the old routine. It is what it is. How do you like this for a cliché?

Next: 127. 5/7/17: Closer to Home