An Ode to the Derriere…
Tush, buttocks, bum, buns, rear, derriere, rump, fanny, backside….
It has as almost many names in English as the Eskimo’s have for snow. It’s a prominent part of each of us and yet a small player in the universe of things.
It’s not often you talk about it. It’s there, it serves a purpose, it’s the fleshy support of everyday life. Rarely do you cast it a second thought until, that is, you can’t ignore it. Indeed, there are relatively few things in life that bring the posterior into focus, so to speak, and horseback riding is one of them.
Since we’re camping in the Rockies next to a horse-stable and both my cousin (who’s visiting from Denmark) and I are keen ex-riders we threw ourselves fearlessly into a 2-hour ride into the woods. It’s been more than 10 years since I last sat astride a saddle, so it was a grand re-introduction to the joys of horsemanship for both my tooshie and myself. We mounted the Western saddles like old pro’s, enjoyed a stunning walk in the woods, admired the gorgeous mountain scenery, bonded with the animals, nature and all things living, even had a bit of a good trot…and then hobbled humbly back to the RV with a renewed relationship to our hind ends. It was well worth it, but it’s also an experience we’ll be reminded of for days…
Hey Nina,
I can really relate to this post of yours! Different saddle, but same issue, on my cross-country bicycle trip. After 80 miles, that portion of my body is complaining loudly to me!
Lauren
I have to admit that after a mere 2 hours on the horse I have a new and profound respect for the many hours you spend on the bike each day in your journey. Hats off to you on that one! 🙂