CONTROL YOUR HORSE BEFORE IT CONTROLS YOU » By Natalie Bingham Hoover PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS ROSE Lucky Charm. That was the name of the first horse I ever rode. It was a group trail ride, where the horses are calm, well-trained, and perfect for an inexperienced rider. The day started out great, with my horse following the one in front of it on a leisurely trip along the Appalachian Trail. Then my horse caught sight of the barn and apparently decided a trip home for dinner was a much better idea than taking an 8-year-old on a ride through the woods. While Lucky Charm made a sharp beeline for the barn, I did the only thing I could think of-hang on and yell for help. It never crossed my mind to take the reins in hand and lead the horse where I wanted him to go. DECEMBER 2014 FLIGHT TRAINING / 37