Chosen

Yesterday I went on a trip with colleagues from work
and we spent the day on a horse ranch
mingling and playing and socializing.

Since I see that much of the business relationship is sadly based on interpersonal relationships
and that those who are unwilling to share personal are subsequently left out of the business
I felt I should be there and demonstrate my compliance with established practice.
It sounds worse than it is;
I do not actually mind the practice. It just it is how it is and the way it is is completely normal part of behavior of social species. Me being part of the less social spectrum and
being aware of it
leaves me the posibility to use this situation as well as to avoid it -
So yesterday I was using it.

It was not unpleasant and I had a good time.
There were lot of educational opportunities and I hardly took out my phone or had to entertain myself with solitary activities.
I even played voleyball (which speaks volumes considering my deeply ingrained need not to do team sports)
and I rode a horse, even though I was not really planning for it
(lol this progressive relaxation really is paying off)

Something interesting happened.

I did not ride a horse ever before.
I am of the opinion that such a big and smart animal requires time to build relationship with
so since horses, or should I say "spending time with horses" is expensive
and I have no money to spare
I do not usually waste their time or mine by dabbling.
But yesterday we have already paid for our time so I felt I should add new experience to my experience archive
so
I went and joined the line we were standing in to try to ride.
Two by two people rode at the time, on two very calm horses, by being walked by hosts in the corral pictured above.
It seemed like undemanding, well trained and pretty boring task for the horses
to connect this to stuff mentioned above
it seemed like a relationship-less task.

Yet I stand surprised, humbled and more than a little perplexed now.

As the line was moving and I got to top of the line
people were still riding
but as I entered the corral
the horse approached me and fully stopped
the rider was surprised and so was I
and the host, who walked the horse for us to ride them said:
He chooses her.
(Say what?!)

The horse chooses her (me?!).

The person riding slipped down from the saddle and I, very surprised and nonplussed, eventually got up.We made a few rounds
and I quite enjoyed the feeling and the experience
but it also left me quite perturbed
as it brought right to the top just how much untrusting I have become.