Naughty Little Rider

It took a lot but after much begging Dad bought a couple of horses.  I had wanted horses since I could remember and it was great being able to have Lady, a quarter horse, and Jiggers, the pony.  My brothers and I spent many hours riding, going to neighborhood shows, and being cowboys. It was fun and I thought I was a good rider.

One Sabbath on the way back from church I saw at the football field across from our house a group of people who were taking turns riding a Pinto Pony.  I had always wanted to ride a Pinto. I thought they were pretty. I asked Mom if I could go over after lunch and ride the horse.  She said no.  Of course I couldn’t accept no for an answer.

“Why! I asked a bit upset.

“The Bible tells us in the fourth commandment that we are to let our animals rest along with us on the Sabbath.  You will have to wait until another day.” She explained.

Of course, in my mind, this commandment didn’t apply to rides at the football field and I made the decision that I was going to ride that horse! After lunch, I put on my jeans and boots and slipped out the back door. I went down the side road, crossed over the main road, and headed to the football field.

I stood in line and watched with pleasure as the horse was led up and down on the field with each rider.  Finally, my turn came.  A lady boosted me up and I settled into the saddle.  It didn’t feel quite right and my feet were not securely in the stirrups.  I ignored the ill fitting saddle. I could ride in it because I was a good rider! I would just hang on to the saddle horn if I felt like falling.

It was great! The lady leading the horse saw that I could ride and let me take the reins.  She made me walk the horse though.  I asked her if we could trot.  She hesitated, asked me if I knew what I was doing, and of course, I said, “I’m a good rider because I ride my own horse every day.

“Well, okay.  But be careful!” She allowed.

I kicked the sides of the Pinto and we were off.  I hung on but began to lose my grip on the horn.  I couldn’t hold the reins and the horn at the same time and my feet came free of the stirrups.  This horse was also a different size horse and I wasn’t used to the way he trotted plus I couldn’t anticipate his moves. I began to slip from the saddle. As the ground came up to meet my face I remember thinking that I was in BIG trouble.  Then everything went black.

The next thing I saw was Dad looking at me and saying, “Susie, can you hear me? Do you hurt anywhere?”

Of course I hurt, not just on the outside but in my heart as well.  I tried to get up and when I leaned on my arm a sharp pain shot through it. Dad bent down, picked me up, and carried me all the way home.  I cried from the pain and hurt. He examined my arm for any break and realized it was just a bad sprain.

Susie Nazario
 

“I’m sorry for disobeying Mom.  Are you going to punish me?” I asked

“No. You have been punished enough for one day.  You do need to tell Mom you’re sorry though.” He said while carefully putting a sling on my sprained arm. 

After telling Mom I was sorry for disobeying (and I really was!) I fell asleep on Dad’s lap.  I’m sure I slept a lot that night as I woke up in the morning in my own bed.  That day I learned it doesn’t really pay to disobey. There is another commandment I learned to respect and that is to “Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother”. They know what is best.  If I had obeyed, I would not have had to live with a sprained arm for several weeks which took me out of the riding circuit for awhile.