This oft-repeated horse quotation (by Helen Thompson) came to mind today as I spent my afternoon volunteering at a therapeutic riding center near me, helping severely disabled children ride horses. It, and other therapeutic riding centers, are pretty incredible programs. It’s so great for these kids, who usually face severe impairments in many activities, to be able to do something that’s different and special. Lots of kids want to ride horses, and many in this area do, but it’s still special and exciting for these families to have this kind of program. Needless to say, the horses in this program are saints.
I’ve ridden seriously for 10 years, and for fun at camp for 6 or 7 years before that, and can’t think of anything I’d rather do most of the time. It’s a damn good workout, super fun, and I love cultivating a relationship with a myriad of different horses over the years. I meet people who I’d never normally cross paths with.
What in the world does this have to do with Moebius? Well, horses (and schoolwork, weirdly enough… yes, I’m a nerd) got me through a ridiculous amount of young adult angst- some Moebius-related, some not. I was able to get away from everything and just ride. That escapism was so vitally important to me when I needed it, and luckily I was able to indulge my passion. Everyone has passions, it’s just a matter of finding and nurturing them to the best of your abilities.
Natalie Abbott 