For some time now, I've not been on a horse.  Even though there are horses right out my back door. 

Quite a while ago, I was knocked down by a yearling filly (she didn't mean to do it, I'm sure, it was just the situation).  At the time, I lost an hour of my life, during which I did quite a few things, including crossing a creek, to get home.  The symptoms of that long ago accident are gone, with one exception - although the accident happened on the ground, while I can handle horses on the ground calmly and happily all day long, I have a lingering fear of actually riding. 

Since my Lydia, the mare that I would and have trusted my life to, is 30 and arthritic enough that I don't think riding would be fair to her, and she's the only one here that I could possibly imagine my terrified lizard back brain trusting, I haven't ridden in years.  And I'm tired of it.

I thought, and thought, and decided that the thing to do is to return for a lesson (or lessons) from the woman who first gave me my confidence - Linda Dovers of Bear Creek Stables, a woman I consider a mentor in the art of successfully running a riding stables and the care of horses (I worked there to support my horse habit many years ago, and boarded my horses there through the first two foals).  Hopefully on one of the horses that first gave me my confidence, all those years ago, though I don't know if they're still  working as lesson horses. 

So I gave Linda a call, and after a few rounds of phone tag, we hooked up.  Tomorrow's the day - I'll drive all the way to Manchaca and climb on a horse. 

Wish me luck!  I want nothing more than to get back to trail riding - it used to keep me sane.  (Hmmm, maybe that explains a few things . . . )