Meet Ali, short for Alfred.

Not long ago our daughter made a wish. Then it came true. Then it came true some more.

We live right across the road from some stables so I called the barn and asked about lessons, turns out they offer them. What I like the most about the lessons is all the work involved in caring for the horse to get him ridable.

You brush him, then brush him some more, and one more time for good measure. Then the hooves and all the gear and FINALLY! OH MY WORD! CAN WE RIDE HIM YET?

She thought brushing him was fun for about 5 minutes and then couldn’t stop asking when it was GOING TO BE OVER so she could gallop on the horse. She just wanted to go fast.

That’s my girl.

Turns out that riding a horse is only half the fun though and I am so very glad that lessons incorporate all of this. I used to ride, my horses name was Quincy. I loved that horse and knew how to brush and clean and saddle him, but it only lasted for a couple summers and then we sold the horse, not because I wanted to though.

MOTHER.

Which is besides the point, but I’m just happy that not everything she’s interested in is so wrapped around the instant gratification of today. Sure, she thinks she’ll show up and magically know how to ride a horse, talk to him, respect him and get to run through fields of wheat all afternoon while the wind is blowing through her hair and Prince Eric is waiting for her by the bay. I have heard this story so many times, people. The girl has an imagination. But she has to learn. The right way. At the beginning.

And it paid off.