Spirit Willing, Flesh Weak

I'm at the camp I never had as a kid: an Elderhostel in Abingdon, Virginia, learning the basics of horseback riding. So far we've covered grooming and tacking up and basic riding commands - I can walk, trot, and post, woo-hoo! Today we learned the basic barrel riding pattern, at a walk thank goodness. I was to go on a short trail ride this afternoon but was striken with nausea from heat and sinuses, and so am preparing to stretch out for the rest of the afternoon.

On the whole I've had a lot of fun and am looking forward to a half-day's trail ride tomorrow, but I'm annoyed that my body has given out on me. I wish I had done this twenty years ago, before cancer stripped me of my strength. On the bright side, though, I'd held up pretty well until this afternoon; I'm not hobbled and stiff. I know for certain that I'd not have been able to do this a year and a half ago, so am happy to have gotten this far with it.

I haven't decided if riding is really "me", but at least I know how and I can ride if I want to!