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Isabel Hamilton - A Girl Who Liked to Ride Dreams – But Only on Sundays
Horses are real-life dreams for many young girls, and learning to ride is a very good way of fulfilling this vision. But, there is more to this dream than just saddles and reigns and gallop and canter. There is another side, too. And, I discovered the following whilst staying in Scotland a long time ago. Learning to ride can also mean learning to work.
It was a late summer day; autumn was not far away. I was at a riding school in the Borders of Scotland with two very good friends. Mike and Mary McLaughlin. Isabel, their 14 year old daughter was taking a lesson. And, having time on my hands, I wandered off to take a look-round.
I was impressed. Here were the cleanest and neatest stables I'd ever, ever seen. There was nothing out of place. And, the horses I saw looked incredibly happy. But, the most interesting thing of all was a small group of girls. Six or seven - and all between twelve and thirteen. They were having great fun – they were mucking out stables.
The girls told me that what they were doing was all part of a course. A Stable Management Course. And, because there was so much to learn, the course was a two day event. Saturday and Sunday. Two days for mucking out stables? No, much more as well. There was the grooming – thirty two horses in all, there was the polishing of reigns and saddles and many pairs of high riding boots, and, of course, the feeding and watering, too. A lot of hard work and learning. And, how much pay did they get? Pay? There was no pay at all! The girls had to pay for doing the work – it was all part of the course. The Stable Management Course. And, it was very expensive. And, they had to bring their own lunch. Nothing was provided – not even a drink. But, the girls were all happy; they were living their dreams – and – their parents had plenty of money.
And, then Isabel came, she had finished her lesson. Had she ever learned how to muck out the stables and polish the tackle? Certainly not! She was no fool. One hour a week was enough; riding was all that she wanted. Why pay for something that's just common sense? But, that's how life is. Dreams and owners of stables can be very persuasive. And, certificates, when framed, look great on the wall.
Horses are real life dreams for many young girls. And, learning to ride is a very real way of living this dream. And, so too is paying to muck out the stables and polish the tackle. But, if it makes people happy - why not? Life is for living, and, the owners of stables have to live, too!
Isabel Hamilton - A Girl Who Liked to Ride Dreams – But Only on Sundays
Vocabulary
canter – leichter Gallop
common sense – Hausverstand
grooming – pflegen
I'd – I had
impressed – beeindruckt
mucking out – ausmisten
neatest - ordentlich
provided - bereitgestellt
saddles and reigns - Sättel und Zügel
tackle – Pferdeausrüstung (auch Sportausrüstung)-
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Vocabulary
canter – leichter Gallop
common sense – Hausverstand
grooming – pflegen
I'd – I had
impressed – beeindruckt
mucking out – ausmisten
neatest - ordentlich
provided - bereitgestellt
saddles and reigns - Sättel und Zügel
tackle – Pferdeausrüstung (auch Sportausrüstung)-
