When you fall off the horse

I arrived by bike at the stable where my daughter takes her riding lessons about ten after six. Her horse walked by the fence a couple of times, and she smiled at me. My daughter likes it when I come to watch her ride; I'm not entirely sure why, really, but it is important to her.

In all her past lessons, they rode indoors. But she's in a more experienced group, so now they are using an outdoor meadow. I told her on one of her swings past me that I'll have to bring my camera. The indoor arena, you see, is poorly lit, and I've never been able to get a good shot. But now that they're outside, no problem!

Not too long after I got there, nature called rather insistently. When I returned from the building, I saw my daughter going by the fence at a cantor. She was sloping off the side of the horse, and then fell right off. "Oh!" I explained and began to run over. But she got up quite quickly, and dusted herself off. She walked over to where the horse had stopped, and got right back on.

So do like the old proverb says. If you fall off the horse, get right back on. If for no other reason than that it is a great comfort to those who had to see you fall off the horse!