Both my daughters have started riding recently, and it has been a rewarding and learning process for all of us.

Browsing friends' status entries on Facebook, I've been struck by some friends' effort to find and recognize happiness, as well as expressing gratitude (things like, 100 days of Happiness, etc).

This made me pause to think about finding and expressing happiness, via gratitude, when at the barn.  As such, my daughters and I now take a bit of time, either at the end of the ride, or during final grooming, to reflect on the happiness that we are feeling at that moment and to thank the horse - for letting us ride them, for the interaction, for the happiness that they have given us.  Sounds silly?  Maybe.  But give it a try, if you don't do it already, and you might like the results.

I think that in our rushed and distracted lives, it is easy to forget to enjoy some moments.  Also, we might bring, to the barn, thoughts unrelated to the current experience and be distracted (I'm tired/late for my lesson/too cold/too hot/hungry/oh look at the orange cat!) and forget to savour the moment. 

Last week, my eldest was having a bit of a miserable ride, no fault of the horse.  She was tired from coughing (joys of winter viruses), cold (someone didn't listen to her mother when dressing for the barn) and convinced that her stirrups were too long (they weren't).  As I traded my mittens for her winter riding gloves, I quietly asked her to push back other thoughts and savour the moment.  To think about the feeling of being on horseback.  To relax.  She started to smile.  When we decided to wrap up the ride a bit early, I asked her, How about thanking your horse for the ride?  She leaned down and hugged the mare's neck, and verbally thanked her for the ride.  The mare pricked her ears forward, obviously knowing what a lovely and patient teacher she was, and enjoying simple thanks.  After taking the tack off and grooming the horse, I too took the time to thank the mare for the interaction, and we all left the barn smiling, calmer, happier.

There will be many different lessons as my daughters continue to interact with different horses, not all will be about hugs and kisses.  However, these lessons in expressing gratitude, I hope will continue.