Overcoming Fear

I bought my horse Sassy back in March of 2013.  Once I had the horse I had dreamed about since I was a young girl (I even have an oil painting that my Dad gave to me at that time in my life of a horse who looks almost like Sassy) I realized I was really afraid of horses.  Give me a big dog and I'm the boss.  Give me a bossy, assertive, 1200 lb horse and I'm a big chicken.  Sassy got a year off.  Pathetic, I know.  I spent the year grooming her, walking her around the farm on a lead and allowing her to eat grass at certain points on our walk. 

This spring, I decided it was her moment.  My job gives me some slow periods of work and it was during a slow period I decided to give myself the gift of a 'horse camp'.  Who says you have to go away to go to camp or a retreat?  I shipped my horse over to the barn of a Western Riding Instructor and took lessons on her 5-6 times a week. 

Oh my goodness!  I could hardly get on her back without becoming all frigid...and a month later look at us!  I cried the first time I loped her.  Please don't judge.  This is an irrational fear for me- I don't get it...but we got past it! 

Love this girl!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtoxiR6_iuQ

You've gotta watch the video!  A year and a half of mental and physical effort went into this!