| One time I was watching Ray ride this little gray and | | | | and told the story, and told Ray the times I did a |
| white paint. He was loping circles, and doing flying lead | | | | one-rein stop, I had already gotten to the feet, so there |
| changes, and to this day, I have never seen a more | | | | was no need to stop the horse and go through that all |
| effortless change, from Olympic horses, to reiners, | | | | over, and the times I circled, there was no connection |
| bridle horses, etc. I said wow, Ray, that was nice! He | | | | to the feet. Ray said, it's like Tom said, it's about the |
| said, not bad for the first time I loped her in a circle. I | | | | feet, the feet, THE FEET. |
| said, I hope I can do that one day. He said you don't | | | | The third was a horse that bucked a fellow off a few |
| want to do that, you want to do it like you do it. It took | | | | times, and his wife had asked me to get on, It was on |
| me years to understand that, and while it was still the | | | | the edge, but I was just in sync and would be there |
| most beautiful lead changes ever, I understand and | | | | right when Ray gave a direction. The horse never |
| enjoyed talking to Ray about those differences, While | | | | bucked with me and did so good. After that I just |
| he will always be the ultimate, it was a pleasure to | | | | couldn't stop learning (imagine that) and asked Ray, |
| become me through his tutelage. | | | | should I have done this or that, waited here, or done |
| The second was a time, with a horse I was riding, and | | | | more there? Ray said when you've had as good of a |
| he was wanting to buck, and run away with his owner. | | | | ride as that, just enjoy it and leave it alone. |
| Once I got on, he would do his "thing," and I would do a | | | | It's amazing, how slow I was, in taking those years to |
| one-rein stop. Ray would say, circle him circle him. The | | | | get the simple lessons. As Ray might say, It's amazing |
| next time, I would circle him, and Ray would say, | | | | how it takes a lifetime to live a lifetime. There are so |
| one-rein stop, one-rein stop, This went on for days, and | | | | many stories, and we all have them to share, I look |
| the horse got over it, but it soooo seemed like I was | | | | forward to sharing some more around the camp fire. |
| always on the horse backwards or something. Then | | | | Thanks, Ray. Keep all of us on track and save us a |
| several years later again, I understood. I asked Ray, | | | | few to start. |