My first equine steps

Thinking about my first BHS exam, I remember those first days on horseback. In Crete, in EGVUS, a small equestrian club literally by the sea. Yannis, my instructor, a very stubborn man, who built his equestrian club with his own two hands, was determined to help me overcome my fear of horses and enjoy the sport. And he made it in two months!

Last summer was very different to the ones I had lived bofore. My life changed through interaction with horses. I made new -equine and human- friends, offered joy to children and tourists, saw my life from a different perspective. Bebis (or Baby as we call him to give him commands) is my best equine friend. It’s always a joy to sit on his back. Cute, stubborn, smart and cunning, he knows how to get on my nerves and win my affection at the same time (which wins him loads of treats). He also knows that I am familiar with his oustanding luck to be found and saved by Yannis and uses it to make me forget about whipping and screaming (yeah, we learn to scream at horses, especially at the beginners’ stage). About Bebis’ story I might write at some other time.

All I wish is for next Easter holidays to arrive for me to run (or “fly” is the best word) home, in order to see Bebis, the other horses and Yannis again.