Equitation day

Hello all!

Today I'm going to write about a very interesting and memorable sensation I've had this summer. It took 22 years of my life to get prepared for the big happening. The meeting between a horse and me. Of course, by being a child, and spending holidays with my grandparents at province, I experienced horse-riding. But those were not true and authentic experiences, they were more like getting familiarized with animals. My father always accompanied me, and we didn't get out into the forest or on the fields by horse, we rode just in the court of the family house. After this, during my elementary school years I remember riding two times ponies at Central Park. However, that wasn't the most challenging event in my life. But now, I can say that I've faced the big thing. This summer I overcomed my fears and laziness and went to a riding hall. The experience was cool, because a huge storm was supposed to ruin our mood, but by the end of the trip despite being wet and frozen I was happier than ever.

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Cluj-Napoca has 3-4 riding halls and centres of equitation. The one chosen by me is located at the peripheria of the city, close to Baciu municipality, but still belongs to Cluj-Napoca. The district or region where this riding hall is, is called Lomb district. Lomb is in fact a hill near the city, far from the buzzle and noise. The riding hall was established by a Hungarian man, and he is its administrator nowadays as well. The interesting part of the story is, that he has built a house near the riding hall, and moved completely in, and has chosen to live far from the city centre, in nature. With his horses. And his wife and son. He is free and happy surrounded by his horses and hosting visitors all year long. He takes care of his beloved horses and he administrates and keeps the equitation's Facebook page updated. He is his own boss.

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This riding hall at Lomb offers 1, 5 hour long single rides (for 45 RON/11 EUR) and of course the opportunity of buying a 10 occasion pass for 30 RON/7 EUR/occasion. One horse ride consists of going a long way by horse over the surrounding hills, fields and forests. The trail is really wild. When I went horse-riding it was already dawn, and there were grey clouds on the sky. It's not suprise that after we left the riding hall and started our way to the hills rain started pouring, and a storm came. Lightning, thunder and wind was our company. And of course, Béla, the man with the horses. As long as I saw him, I wasn't afraid. Just kidding, I was thinking about getting hit by a lightning, I was already planning my death, and wanted to go back, go home. But I knew that there's no chance to change direction and get back to the riding hall. Béla was very excited about the weather conditions, and I didn't even try to speak about this, he doesn't know the meaning of the word: NO.

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I slowly started to trust my horse. I thought about the ancestors. There were times in the past, when people didn't have roofs above their heads, but had to trust nature, trust God and trust their animals. And believe in themselves as well. And they didn't all die. Well, I can say that I survived the trip, and was full of endorphins. I couldn't compare the feeling I've felt on the horseback with any other situation. Absolute freedom, infinity and limitlessness. The best moment was when I was riding the horse in a garden full of apple trees, and I could reach the top of a small tree and could pick the tastiest apple and eat it. Then I felt that there's a bond between me, my horse and Mother Nature.

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I was absolutely thrilled the following days, only the muscle strain was a bit bothering. I felt that my hip and trunk muscles worked and my posture got straighter. Horse-riding is a perfect sport for people with problems such as muscle imbalance and weakness having negligent posture or weak abdomen and back muscles. And let's not forget about the energy emanating from horses and the atmosphere and good mood they create around themselves. Dealing with animals always has a good effect and consists success.

The man organizes horse-riding trips for groups, but also single tours, and he always attends the trips. He is responsible and provides equipment for horse riding to each guest. He is a good and careful person, but a person who loves animals, can't really be bad. Other riding-halls in Cluj are Napoca Sport Horse, Transilvania Sport Horse, Furioso Riding Hall (30 km away from the city) and Deska Riding Hall. Go and try it!

Thanks for reading. Dora.

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