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Check out our what to do section for a complete list of Berkshire outdoor recreation.
 Novice Rider Earns Another Photo Finish
By Cynthia Saunders
March 2008
The first time I ever rode a horse was when I was maybe seven years old, and basically, I think my family was just looking for a photo op. Someone put me up there, there was a bright flash, and someone put me back on the ground. It was very exciting and dazzling and brief.
The second time I got on a horse (last weekend), I was a considerably more sophisticated and autonomous individual.  I wanted to be able to sit up there with some dignity and have a little bit of control over the situation. I wanted to see if it was the kind of physical workout I imagined it would be. I wanted to connect with a creature three times my size. And, okay, yes, I also wanted my picture taken.
The folks at the Berkshire Equestrian Center in Richmond were fantastically friendly, and very open to sharing the joy of horseback riding with two adult novices like my friend, Kate, and me. I think at first we were pretty nervous. Even as we helped to groom the horses we were about to ride, I don't think either of us fully realized what the lesson would entail.
 We each held a different type of brush—mine was a palm-sized rubber brush designed to gently loosen the thick winter coat, and Kate's was a softer, smoother brush for whisking away what mine stirred up. As we did this, our instructor, Amanda Fournier, talked with us about the background of the horses, where they had come from, their ages, their former owners. I was impressed by the details she could remember about each one.
 Despite the ten acres of fields and trails for riding, it was a cold and windy day, so we guided the horses over to the Center's indoor arena to take our lessons inside. The arena itself was large and heated (with soon to be finished bi-level viewing areas and spa facilities) and it provided a safe, comfortable environment for our lesson.
 Amanda had us up on the horses right away, and explained the maneuvering as we needed it, which proved to be possibly the most effective method of teaching I could imagine. Kate was riding a pretty, shaggy white horse named Pearl, while I was on Thunder, a tall, rich brown and black thoroughbred. Within a few minutes, we were steering our horses in slow loops around the arena, occasionally weaving in and out between the jumps set up for more advanced riders.
 Thunder was tall and bouncy, and my favorite part of the ride was when Amanda encouraged me to get him to start trotting. I have seen movies of people riding horses much faster than this, and I think I know what I probably looked like up there—just a slightly panicked novice making it look considerably harder than the film actors do, and with a not at all glamorous grin pasted across my face.
 I admit that for half a second I feared I might fall off, but the truth is, much more than that, I suddenly wanted to ride horses everyday. I wanted to have my own and to ride him across the world. I know, it was a grandiose and romantic notion. But then, horses are grandiose and romantic creatures, or at least, I thought that this one was.
Okay, so the long and short of it is, Kate and I had a phenomenal time. The whole way home, we were still realizing it: "Hey, we just rode horses!"
Ultimately, I think our positive experience was a direct result of the environment we were in. Amanda's enthusiasm and confidence for the horses and the art of riding really enabled us to express our enthusiasm without feeling awkward about our lack of experience.  She also talked a lot about having a natural approach to working with the horses, which, from what I could gather, basically meant treating them with love and respect, and this was something I sensed in everyone I talked with at the center. From Billie Best, the barn's consultant who gave me my initial tour, right through to all of the girls helping out in the stables in exchange for riding time, those values were manifested in the daily actions that kept things running. And yes, they even agreed to take our photo so we'd have a memento.
About Cynthia Saunders
Cynthia Saunders is a freelance writer and the Director of Education for the Barrington Stage Company. A North Adams native and current resident, she is excited to live within walking distance of her favorite restaurants, yoga studio, and movie theatre. She can be contacted at cynthia.saunders@gmail.com.
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