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Banshees
I stand in the wash stall with my small black mare. I run the water while I wait for it to warm up. The moisture changes the bricks from a dull red to a shiny bright color.…

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Go
“Kiba-Dachi, yellow belt.” I stand in horse stance. I have been called to the front of the class before we do chart. This is unusual. Sensei pulls out a roll of orange electrical tape. He cuts a…

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Floating
A student had trailered-in his bay gelding for a lesson. I could see them down in the outdoor, trotting around. They are a beautiful pair. I am hurrying up. I want to watch his lesson. His horse…

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Shi
“Everyone do a pushup on the count!” We all drop to the carpet. I go on my knees. I have been getting better at doing pushups on my knees. I can at least do them now. I…

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Placard
“We are in the outdoor today.” My heart sinks. Peppa has been better but she is still unreliable and sometimes bolts. The railroad ties make for a pretty border but poor fence. “Can we go in the…

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School Horse
I’ve been taking care of the farm for six days by myself while my trainers are on vacation. They are gone for two weeks, so I have a way to go yet. Today isn’t much different. I…

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San
I like watching the black belts. Good form is beautiful in the same way a good horse with an arched neck is beautiful. Tonight we are doing bag work instead of kata after chart. It looks easy.…

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Click
The morning runs were not going well. It would take me twenty minutes of pep talk to convince myself out the door. I was a skittish horse wildly bolting as I spooked from mailbox to mailbox. All…

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Scouted
I took the red mare down to the outdoor. We walked in sync, her long legs taking slightly shorter steps as I took longer steps. It was a beautiful day. The wind was gently blowing, and big…

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Ni
I had been steadily going to karate class about six weeks. This night wasn’t much different. One of the sensei took me to a corner of the room and told me to go through my kata. I…
