Riding Lessons: Things I Learned While Horsing Around

Riding Lessons, Things I Learned While Horsing Around, is a mostly humorous memoir that tells the story of Michelle Eames’s journey with horses, and the numerous lessons the horses taught her. Most of the lessons were learned through mistakes and mishaps, such as getting bucked off, or getting lost during a trail ride.

Michelle rode as a girl and bought a horse again as an adult. She describes her horsemanship adventures and tribulations with humor, humility, and sometimes even poetry. While poking fun at herself, Michelle shares some hard-earned life lessons gained by living with and riding horses. Animal lovers of all kinds will enjoy the ride and getting to know the quirks of the horses Michelle has had the joy of living with.

Horse lovers, whether they own a horse or simply always wanted to own a horse, will learn some useful tidbits through Michelle’s humorous essays and true stories of rural life and trail riding. They will likely also learn things not to do. A little bit of horse care, horse biology, and horse behavior is sprinkled amongst the anecdotes of living with horses on a hobby farm. Her most memorable horses were Appaloosas and Norwegian Fjord Horses. She shares the laughs and challenges of keeping horses at home and learning the ins and outs of horsemanship. Some other topics include saddle fitting, attempting horse breeding, horse trailer loading and hauling, learning dressage, and learning other riding techniques such as natural horsemanship. All of this is described with respect and love for the horses she has owned.

Michelle Eames writes poetry, humor, and essays about a broad range of topics, including biology, horsemanship, and wildfires. She has published poetry, essays, and humor in Flyway, Pontoon, Earthspeak, PKA Advocate, Horse and Rider Magazine, Backyard Poultry, and various journals, newsletters, and online locations. Michelle lives on a hobby farm near Spokane, Washington, with two horses, two barn cats that strive to be house cats, a few chickens, and a husband. You can find more of Michelle's eclectic writing at MichelleEames.com.