Determination

He was old, flaming red, knobby kneed and crippled with arthritis. I called him Blaze. My first horse, I was six years old. My savings account had a whoppin' $60 in it and that's exactly what the old horse cost me.
A family with seven kids had owned him, allowed the kids to pound him too death on pavement over the years and then, threw him away at the Cameron Park Stables in Waco. My dad saw him, knew he couldn't move all that fast and away we went...to the farm, Blaze in the trailer and my heart pumping out of my ears!
I had just turned six years of age then and didn't get a saddle until age 8. My daddy wanted me to 'learn how to' ride prior to a saddle. So, for two years...bareback, it was.
One of my favorite things to do every morning was to jump on Blaze and follow daddy with his load of hay. Down the gravel road, around the lazy curve and into a gate leading to the upper pasture. I was in heaven.
Now, this horse was not your automatic, smooth moving animal. He had a stilted trot and pounded the dirt with every step. I had done well for my first few weeks..learning...feeling proud...until -- one morning we headed down the gravel road in a hard trot.
His back came up, my butt went down and the only problem was the fact that I missed him as I cam down!
S P L A T!! Nothin' but gravel. Ouch and ouch, again. Daddy stopped the old red chevy pick-up and walked back to me. Tears flowing, I handed him the reins and said, "I'm not gettin' back on him'!!! Calmy, my daddy answered, "daughter, you'll get back on or we'll sell him tomorrow." Guess what, I couldn't get back on fast enough.
From that day forward I became a second Annie Oakley of sorts! I learned to balance, ride and go with the wind regardless of speed. From Blaze, I moved on into more attractive, faster moving horses. When you learn to ride bareback for a couple of years, you learn to 'become one with the horse'..it's like you're one piece in movement, syncopated and rythmical at every gait.
My year with lap band has been somewhat like my first year with that old, knobby kneed gelding. I've fallen off a couple of times, but have climbed back on with more determination than before.
Rather than face defeat and the possibilty of return to bad health, I chose to ride hard and go with the wind. It hasn't been easy. It's been a learning curve for an entire year.
However, I am proud of myself and I have proven to ME that I am very capable of managing my new lifestyle. I want to move on as I did with my different horses. It can only get better and offer more fun with each passing day.
So, to any of you reading this...BUCK UP!! Get with it and turn to a healthier style of living. For obese people, the battle never ends. But, with determination, the battle can be a win-win in your column with the right attitude.
Here's to weight loss, improved health, ease in movement and a long, happy life!