I would ride a few rides, loved the carnival games, had to go to the livestock shows, and occasionally attend a concert.
I didn't have a horse of my own then.
The one ride I always rode, even though I was "much too old" for such silliness, was the Carousel.
My mother would always ask, "Really? You want to ride that? Seems kind of boring for a girl your age."
But I always did.
I would wait in line, watching as the little kids went round and round. I would look at all the horses, and choose which one would be mine. Then when it was my turn I would race to my chosen mount, hoping to get there before some snot nosed little urchin beat me to it.
Then the music would start and round and round we would go. For the first time around, sometimes even two times, I would see my parents, or grandparents, waving to me. I would sheepishly wave back, not wanting to be rude.
Then I would close my eyes, and the world would fall away. The sounds of the fair and the carousel music would fade off in the distance. I was no longer in the city at a fair, on a silly ride. I was a cowgirl, racing my pony across the open plain. My heart matched his hoof beats; his mane and my hair whipped in the wind as one. I would spread my arms wide as if I was flying (like Alec in the black stallion) and then I'd become a girl ship wrecked on an island, racing the only friend I had across the beach. My vision would change again, and I was the girl in Tam the Untamed, riding my silver horse through the Australian bush, with a herd of Brumbies on our heels....and bad men just a little further behind.
Then the ride would begin to slow and I was snapped back to reality. My dream for the day was over, but not really. In my mind the dream was right there, just a sigh away.
Just a girl and her horse.
It is truly all I ever wanted to be.
Love this!!!!! I rode a carousel as an adult for my birthday because I don't remember getting to as a kid (if I did I was literally so young I don't remember). I was kind of embarrassed but there was only my friends and the person operating it there so I just forgot about it and had fun lol.
ReplyDeleteAh yes those childhood dreams... I'm pretty sure we all had them. I never rode a carousel horse, but I read every horse book I could get my hands on, and imagined myself as the heroine of each tale.
ReplyDeleteThe only carnival ride I ever liked:)
ReplyDeleteI had a pony from 11, but even after that I still spent a lot of time on my knees being a horse myself, or galloping around the playground at lunchtimes at school with a friend who was also a dreamer. We both had a whole stable full of beautiful horses to ride. :) When it came to toys, my favorites were my Lone Ranger horses, and the dolls who could ride them were the only ones i liked. I spent hours making blankets and bridles and halters for them out of scraps of fabric and wool. I can also remember my year 6 teacher telling me that I was not to do any more pictures, projects or stories about horses because I was driving him nuts. :)
ReplyDeleteAhhh the carousel... What a beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was able to beg rides on other people's horses I did eventually do the black stallion, bareback beach scene gallop. Does it still count that the horse had a bridle on and we galloped down the canal banks in town??? I can remember having to wash the horse sweat and dirt off my pants with a bar of soap and the garden hose, before my mother would allow them into the laundry pile with the rest of the clothes. Did I ever mind? Not one bit. Those were the days...
That's beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful memory. When i used to ride the carousel I'd always stake out 'my' horse and race to get it before someone else did. I havent ridden a carousel in ages and now i want to!
ReplyDeletePreaching to the choir there girl! I know that dream all to well
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