by lucypowell

With 2021 coming to a close, I have started brainstorming a short list of New Year’s resolutions in order to inspire a new and improved me. Typically, I never follow through with my resolutions and often set goals away out of my reach. But this year, I am determined to overcome my one crippling fear…horses.  

I’ve always considered myself to be a pretty fearless person! I don’t mind the dark, scary movies don’t typically spook me, and I love Halloween, but horses….that’s a whole other story. 

What scares me the most about horses is how human-like they are; their teeth could pass for human dentures. They look so unpredictable and strong; their muscles literally ripple across their bodies. I could go on, but I’ll save you from my delusions. Instead I will share with you my plan to achieve this resolution!

My plan looks like this:

Step One: Research horses. I think this is a safe way to begin my exposure therapy… from the comfort of my own home. Maybe I’ll watch a few horse shows and the hit film Black Beauty.  

Step Two: Meet a horse trainer/rider. OK, so I’ve definitely done this one before, but I think if I were to intentionally meet a horse enthusiast at a barn (a safe distance from the horses), it would help me feel more comfortable with the upcoming steps. 

Step Three: Get near a horse. I think it would be safe for me to then visit a horse at their house with the aforementioned enthusiast by my side. Meeting the horse at a place where it is comfortable and relaxed will help me feel more at ease. 

Step Four: Touch the horse. This would be a BIG step for me…. I don’t think I’ve ever touched a horse. My best friend growing up had goats and a donkey, and I would hang out with them all the time with little to no problems, so I hope this has prepared me for this step. I will probably repeat this step many times until I feel slightly comfortable with the horse. 

Step Five: Ride the horse. Now, I know this seems drastic but I want to do it. I feel like riding a horse is a childhood right of passage and I’ve never done it! In order to do this step, I will need all my closest family and friends there with me and an entire ambulance team too (incase I die). 

I don’t want to rush myself through this process, so I intend it will take me through November 2022 (excluding December because I don’t think it’s safe to ride a horse in the snow) to get through step five. If people are interested, I am willing to create a YouTube channel to document my progress. Anyway, I hope I have inspired you all to conquer your biggest fears in this upcoming year!

Categories: dec 7, lucy powell, vol 25