Hang On For Dear Life!

When I was in the eleventh grade, I got a part-time job in downtown Charlotte at American Credit Company.  For the first time in my life, I had money of my own.  How did I spend that hard-earned money, you ask?  Well, I spent it as most teenage girls would...clothes, shoes, and riding stables.  Oh, I doubt most teens spent their money at the riding stable, but loving horses the way I did, it was inevitable.  If there was a place nearby that rented horses by the hour, I found it.  I rode more nags than I'd like to remember, including at least one that was blind in one eye.  However, occasionally I got a good one.   

There was a stable near the airport, I think it was called Riverview Stables.  I was there just about every weekend...usually more than once.  The owner and stable hands became familiar with me, but even more familiar with my money.  I brought them plenty of business since I convinced everyone I knew, family included, to come riding with me. 

One particular weekend my brother and sister-in-law went with me to Riverview.  It was a beautiful day, perfect for a trail ride.  When we got there the owner said, "Miss Laney, I've got a new horse you need to try out."  I should have been more in tune to the words...NEW HORSE.

I mounted the new horse, securing my feet in the stirrups, while my brother and sister-in-law stood by watching.  Once the horse was turned away from the barn, I clicked my heels gently against his side.  He didn't budge, not wanting to leave the stable.  Just about that time the stable hand, standing behind me, took off his big cowboy hat and smacked my horse on the rump.  He took off like a shot.  All I heard from behind me was, "Look at Miss Laney go"! 

I went alright!  That stupid horse took off at a full gallop, heading straight for the woods.  He didn't want me on his back, and at that moment I wanted to be there even less.  I pulled back on the reins as hard as I could and yelled "Whoa" to the top of my lungs!  He must have been deaf, with lips of steel, because the bit and my yelling didn't slow him down in the least.

Suddenly, we were in the midst of the woods.  With branches whipping at my face, I was terrified!  What seemed like eternity could only have been a few seconds, I'm sure.  I didn't have time to think what I could possibly do to get off without being trampled or my head taken off by a tree limb.

The next event replays in my mind in slow motion.  Whether the horse tripped in a hole filled with leaves, or over a fallen log, I'll never know.  But down we went.  Thankfully, he fell to his side and my feet slid out of the stirrups on the way down.  Somehow, with God's protection, I rolled out of the way as the horse scrambled to get up.

Before I had a chance to get up off the ground my brother was there, and my sister-in-law right behind him.  I never knew they were sprinters.  Although I was completely shaken, vowing I'd never get on another horse, I walked away with only a few scratches. 

Then my attention was diverted again to the horse.  Was he okay?  Did he break a leg?  Would they find him, or was he still running for the next county?  After being led back to the stable, I was trying to regain my composure.  But, I guess they thought I hadn't been traumatized enough with the hat slap and the wild ride on a crazy horse.  The insensitive stable hand said, "I'm sorry, Miss Laney, but we're going to have to put him down".  For any of you not familiar with the expression, "put him down", that means euthanize the horse, often done when a leg is broken.  I fell apart, crying hysterically.  Then the stable hand just laughed and said the horse was fine. 

A few life lessons were learned that day.  Family will come to your rescue before anyone else.  It's true, if you fall off a horse you should get right back on, even if you don't want to.  Don't trust a man with a cowboy hat when your back is turned.  Most importantly, when things are out of control, sometimes you just have to hold on to God for dear life and see where His path takes you!   

Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make all your paths straight."

Copyright 2011 Charlotte Laney