“Just give me one good reason...”

I’m forcing the teenager to take a few riding lessons.

(Mom: you only recognize him if you know him...)

 "it's dumb and boring” he says.

Admittedly, walking in circles around the arena as one overcomes fear of being way up high on such a large and unpredictable animal can be a tad boring at first.

Learning to post can induce mental and physical fatigue with being so repetitive, and its actually hard work—really!

It takes strength of stomach, thigh and calf muscles as well as a sense of timing.

The teenager wants “just one good reason” for having to take riding lessons.

He doesn’t buy the “I love you and want you to have as many opportunities as possible, even if it doesn’t feel like an opportunity at the moment” bit, or that “one day you’ll back and be thankful for the experience!”

I don’t know if this is a case of “mother knows best,” but I’m sticking to it!

Some things are just too easy here—like the eight minute ride to the barn and how inexpensive the cost of the lessons—so why not take advantage and make the most of them?

“Besides,” I tell him, “It’ll be impressive to girls someday.”

I can’t believe I actually said that!  

It’s a road I’m not at all ready, or willing, to travel…

Postscript

The Legal Dude is in NM with some colleagues, both of whom ride and, in fact, will be riding today. 

Their advice: Forget the barn and get the teenager on some trails.  

Hmmm…

Maybe, just maybe...