My Team Sorting Adventure, Part 1

Now to continue the subject of "team sorting." When I finally realized what it was, I really enjoyed watching it! So did my husband.


About three years ago, a friend of ours, who team sorts and has horses, talked to my husband and I while we were all at the local fair at that time. He said they were having an informal get-together to do some sorting there at the fairgrounds the following week. Did we want to try it? We were welcome to come if we wanted to. Well .... sure! ... not knowing quite what to expect.


O.K., first some background:


It had been around 20 years at that time since I'd been on a horse.


I was an out-of-shape, 40-something, apartment-dwelling mom.


A certain "fear" of horses had crept in since my teens. Oh, I still liked them ... but from a distance. As I got older, I was all too aware of how horses could be, and had heard of too many horse wrecks, one fatal.


And, though it may not seem like such a big deal, my wardrobe SEVERELY LACKED anything for riding a horse! At this time, I was doing good to have a pair of jeans that fit! And I had one pair of western-style lacers (workboots).


So the time came that evening, and my husband and I showed up at the arena, accompanied by our two sons. I think at this time, neither son had sat on a horse! And my husband, like me, hadn't ridden in a long, long time! Our friend and his family were there, and a few other friends of theirs who were into the "sorting thing."


Just to make sure you know, we didn't have a horse of any kind.


Our friend suggested that I ride his horse "Smarty," but I knew this horse was especially fine-tuned for sorting, it was his main horse. And I was so out-of-shape, I literally feared for my ability to stay on! So I asked to ride another horse of his that was there, "Hollywood." Hollywood was also a good sorting horse, but you kind of had to encourage him to go at times. He was a little "tamer," so to speak. Tame enough for our friend's grandkids to ride. I figured this would be more my speed! ESPECIALLY after 20 years of not being on a horse. Here is a picture of Hollywood:





So we went into the arena. We got the stirrups adjusted on Hollywood's saddle (I have very long legs!), and I prepared to get on him. O.K. ... gather reins, grasp saddle, lift foot into .... I said LIFT FOOT! Lift the foot into the stirrup! You can do it!!! Uhh .... I had to HELP my foot get into the stirrup. Then ... *jump!* ... oh dear. I COULDN'T EVEN GET UP TO THE SADDLE SEAT. --- this is mighty, mighty embarrassing ---


Let's just say that at this age, especially when you're out of shape like I was, your knees (and muscles in general) don't quite cooperate like they should! Yeah, that's it ... MY KNEES DIDN'T COOPERATE! They were rebelling. Good grief, when I was a teenager, I used to jump on my horse bareback and ride like the wind. Now it was, "I need a step ladder!" and maybe more like a gentle breeze.


So between finding a chair (yes, there happened to be a folding chair there by the fence!) and having my husband give me a boost, I FINALLY GOT ON THIS HORSE. Ahhh ... just like riding a bike... "you never forget." "Say, it's been awhile, hasn't it." So I slowly rode Hollywood around the arena. We went down to the other end from where the pens were set up and rode around in a big circle, so I could get used to RIDING A HORSE AGAIN, and he could figure out there was a nervous, 40-something, out-of-shape, apartment-dwelling mom on his back. We seemed to get along O.K. We walked, we trotted, we went both directions. But I was too afraid to canter. Due to a flood right at the end of the fair the week before, we had a large canyon (well, it looked big!) running through that end of the red-dirt arena, so it was a little rambly, trying to avoid that. But finally, I went back to the pens, and took a turn at this sorting thing.


I rode through a small gate into the figure-8-shaped pens. The steers were in the far pen. Our friend's son-in-law worked the gate for me, and I rode in amongst the steers, looking for the first number they had called. Everyone was very helpful to shout where to look for the next steer. And Hollywood, though I did have to manage him quite a lot (i.e., kick to make him go!), was very responsive, and we didn't do too badly. I was able to keep my seat, and quickly got used to the 2-handed rein-holding style that most seemed to use in this event. It was over all too quickly! Like I mentioned before, that minute-and-a-half goes FAST. If I remember right, we got a few steers through. I got a second turn a little while later, and it went too fast as well! "Dang! I could do this all night!" But again, Hollywood and I and our other team member got a few steers through the gate, so that was just pretty good. I WAS HOOKED.


When our second turn was over, I rode out through the gate from the pens into the arena. Wouldn't you know it, I was still able to lean over, unlatch the gate, ride through without letting go, close the gate and latch it ... all from horseback. I hadn't COMPLETELY lost my touch. *brag-brag* :)


Then ...


My husband confiscated Hollywood right out from under me! Well ... it was only fair he should have a turn. So he did, and he enjoyed it as well and did a good job too! After that, we had the boys each get on Hollywood, and that was their first times, I believe, to sit on a horse. After watching and visiting a little more, we left for the evening, thankful for the chance to try this little adventurous challenge!


And after doing some thinking, I believe Hollywood was the wisest choice for me at the time, considering the circumstances. If I'd ridden Smarty, I would've been at his mercy, hanging on for dear life! As it was, with Hollywood, I had to take charge, and that kind of forced me into a place of authority with him. That was good for me at that time, in order to get back into the swing of things. It made me take charge, and that in turn gave confidence.


But don't tell anyone, I ended up riding in tennis shoes!!! I still wasn't sure I wanted to actually do this thing when we went, and I hadn't even put my boots on. Stay tuned for the OPPOSITE of that (and a lot of other things) in "Part 2" ...