By Davis Montgomery III, publisher
It’s funny, but sometimes you can ride your horse to and from work every day for years, and a simple jaunt around the block at night can make you laugh like it’s your first time mounting horseflesh.
That’s what I love about the simple act of horseback riding – there’s so much room for unexpected joy. Things you wouldn’t see, places you wouldn’t go, if you weren’t on a steed–like down the middle of a busy country road!
Last night, my wife returned from an overseas shopping trip with some new shoes for me. They’re deliciously comfy and lightweight, and I wanted to see how they felt on horseback, since that’s an important factor for most shoes I wear.
I laced them up and had my man bring my chestnut yearling, Helena, around for a quick test-loop through the neighborhood.
I quickly realized that the shoes were great on a horse – surprisingly, despite being flexible enough for running or bike riding.
After I realized the shoes would work just fine, I stopped thinking about them and was just enjoying the ride. It had been a while since I’d done a night ride, and I had forgotten how exhilarating it can be. There’s something about galloping down a quiet Coma street, with slightly less traffic than during the day and only the screams of fleeing pedestrians for company, that puts a smile on my face like nothing else.
No more pretending to ‘Share the Road’ for this former street cyclist.
I ended up doing a second lap, and then a third. By this point I was laughing out loud at the sheer joy of flying down the street, the wind in my flowing mane. It was magic.
What began as a test of a new pair of shoes turned into pure, childish delight at the joy of a night ride.
So, I encourage everyone in town to mount their steeds for a similar nocturnal exertion. And for those in Coma who have yet to invest in a thoroughbred of their own, watch out for the road apples!
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