A funny thing happened today, it happens every once in a while. I really enjoy déjà vu. Whenever it happens I get a little thrill mostly because I’m a dork, but also because it makes the universe seem small and humorous and special. When I was a kid I rode this Arab school horse named Jack. He was cute in a sorta pregnant looking scruffy school horse way. He was a little bit useless. He didn’t jump great, wouldn’t jump at all at shows and didn’t steer for all but the most gritty and stick with it lesson kids. I loved Jack. I would draw his beautiful dished face in the margins of my work books at school, I asked to ride him in every lesson, I spent hours dreaming of elaborate plans to convince my parents to buy him for me. He was my first love. Part of it I think was that he was the first horse I connected with. I wasn’t learning to ride, I was learning to ride THIS horse. He recognized me, I knew his moods, got pretty good at riding him and working through his little quirks. One of his quirks was two or three times at the end of every ride, while continuing to walk forward he would do the full body shake. Numerous children, relaxed and taking it easy after a taxing lesson, found themselves terribly rattled and sometimes in the dirt after Jack’s shake. He really put a lot of effort into it. I have never seen a horse shake with as much vigour as him, and he did it while still walking!

But he was the first horse that really challenged me and he taught me so much. I jumped my first 3 foot fence on him, I rode him over my first cross-country course. I once dressed up as Napoleon with the goofy hat and all and rode Jack in a local parade as part of a “Horses through History” themed float (he was the grey Marengo of course). After a few years Jack and I had come to the end of our journey. I knew him so well that he was easy for me and I was moved to new horses that offered a different challenge. A couple of years ago Jack was sold to his retirement home. It’s a great place not far from my work. I sometimes see him in the field when I drive by. They take great care of him and this super cute little old lady trail rides on him. It’s perfect. But I still feel like he was the one that got away. He was the horse that made me realize I wanted to ride forever, no matter what. I have done greater things on better horses but Jack is the one that I always come back to.

So the déjà vu, well, Stormy has a funny quirk too. The day I backed Stormy I leaned on the saddle, pulled and banged around, layed across his back, got on, walked forward a few steps, said “Whoa”, he stopped I leaned forward to get off and he shook. Full body, scared the shit out of me shook. I thought he was spooking at first but no, he was shaking. Apparently just the thought of being a ridding horse made him itchy, hee! He still shakes at the end of the ride sometimes, just before I get off. Just like Jack he seems to know that I am loose and relaxed and it’s probably the time when a sudden tremor will most unbalance and surprise me. He wiggles just like a wet dog, just like Jack. He doesn’t shake at the end of every ride, just sometimes, but every time it happens I smile because I am reminded of Jack. And I think about how in a small way I now have a tiny piece of the pony I lost long ago. He shook toady at the end of our ride while we were walking out. It was a little déjà vu. I’ve been here before, I love this horse, he’s a bit weird. I love this horse.