Have you ever had a life changing moment? Not the obvious milestones like getting married, having a baby, going to college or some horrible spa experience where you realize you are not cut out for leg waxing?

No- I mean those out of the blue moments that all your life’s subconscious suppressed thoughts, hopes and dreams take control and you make the absolute decision to make it happen? Of course, we all have had many. But, there is usually one that we hold dear. Mine is my horse, Beau.

I had been living in New York for about 12 years. Went to school, found a job and had just bought a duplex condominium on the Upper West Side. Living my dream or so I wanted to believe.

I had really always dreamed of having my own horse. I knew there were horses in the park but I could never figure out where they came from. I would look and then some important trip or project would come up and it would fleet out of my mind. This was B.G. – Before Google. Wow, that was such a LONG time ago. So, finding out about stuff was not immediately at your keyboard.

Well, the first couple of days after moving into my new neighborhood, I found Claremont Riding Academy on Columbus and 89th. It was the oldest operating riding stable in the United States. It closed a couple years ago. I immediately booked a lesson. They only taught English Riding, which was fine with me.

The next day I took my first lesson. I was exhilarated and ran home to call my mother and tell her I was selling my condo, moving home and buying a horse. It took a few months and some tears to actually get the guts to do just that- but I did.

Luckily, things worked out, but not without heartache and worry. I found freelance work, sold my condo after 9 months on a glutted market and found a place to live in Atlanta that I could afford, with my new minimal income. During that time, I traveled back and forth to Atlanta and took Saddle Seat Riding, which is a form of English. I loved it.

I happened to be at the training barn, Vicki Humphries Training Center, when they were unloading some new brood mares they had purchased for breeding. Behind one mare, a little colt trotted out. Since he was so young, he was sold with his mom. I was in love. I bought him on the spot. His name was Beau’s Rivercross King,  an American Saddlebred. I just call him Beau.

I have to come to find out from my horse friends, how truly lucky I am. Beau is my first horse and I am his first (only) owner. That doesn’t happen much. And he is worth his weight in gold. Beautiful, proud, sweet, spirited, funny and smart.

Yes, I wanted to move home to be with my family and sisters. Yes, I was growing weary of the back-biting, rat race in New York. Yes, I was begining to lose myself and who I wanted to be. But, that didn’t make me move home.

Out of the blue, I took a riding lesson on a spring day. It made me take a leap of faith in myself.

That was 12 years ago. It saved me.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 18th, 2009 at 10:50 am and is filed under daily diva. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.