It’s like the world stops spinning, thoughts stop circling my head, the music plays a low hum, hooves make patterns in the mud. I could do it all day. Every second of every hour of everyday. I feel the calming movements bouncing underneath me. Using a simple command to stop a 500kg body, another to go forward, left, right, up, down, back, spin.

So simple yet so hard. So calm yet so nerve racking. So safe yet so dangerous. So much money, time, energy, hard work. Despite that I would never have it any other way. How could anyone ever fear such a peaceful, smart, gentle, majestic creature.

They can feel a fly land on their back, they can feel the fear, the frustration, the nerves, the wrong landing, the wrong command, they feel every single feeling pulsing through your body. Yet they let you take control.

Ava

Year 8 student