My Humbling Experience

Lately it seems as if we've gotten so caught up in the fast pace of life, running from job to our child's next practice or sporting event, checking email, voicemail, and pulling out our cell phones, or dragging our laptops along looking for a wireless "hotspot" because there's always something to do. We at PhotoFX Pros have found ourselves caught up in the same whirlwind of activity, bouncing between multiple events in one day, taking upwards of 1000 pictures, and then spending hours processing and uploading those images. Somedays it's so bad that I begin to see the world as a series of still images surrounded by a black frame. However, I was recently invited to an event which in the course of one hour put it all back into perspective for me.

I have a friend whose first child has been battling various disabilities since birth. Not even ten years old yet, she's already seen more doctors, specialists and spent more time in hospitals than most people will in the their lifetime. Despite the challenges and hurdles life has presented her and her parents, she continues to progress and flourish. It was through this friend that I was invited to attend and photograph a session conducted by the Therapeutic Riding Association of Cumberland County (T.R.A.C.C). They are a non-profit organization that through the support of parents, volunteers and generous donors is able to provide individuals with special needs a "blend of recreational riding and hippotherapy--a form of physical therapy...".

Arriving at the Rocking Horse Ridge Farm in Carlisle, I was first greeted by Pat, the owner of the farm. He informed me that I was probably looking for Pat Grier or Tara Brenner who would be coordinating the session for the evening. I finally found the correct Pat (Grier) and was given the details of how the evening's session would be conducted. Turns out that this particular evening was graduation which meant each rider would come out one at a time, be presented to the crowd, then ride through a skills course before finishing up before the crowd after which the next rider would be introduced. I was also informed that there would be nine riders total that evening. Pat then apologized that she would have to leave me at that point since she still had a lot of items to attend to before they could start. Despite the incredible amount of preparation still needed, I was extremely appreciative that she took so much time to speak with me and make me feel welcomed.

I spent the next few minutes looking around for different spots to photograph from. Since Pat had so graciously provided me a map of the skills course I could determine where the riders would have the best light for me to shoot. As more families arrived and set up their chairs at one end of the corral there was an obvious air of camaraderie and friendship. Parents spoke quietly, kids played, several dogs from the ranch mingled in and around the people, and occasionally I'd hear a loud "BAAHH" from a sheep that was tethered to a fence near the house. Turns out the sheep had escaped from either a local farm or farm show several years ago and found it's way to the Rocking Horse Ranch. Pat, the owner, indicated that the sheep had found comfort in the company of his dogs and had decided to stay. It was such a warm, inviting, and eclectic atmosphere that I couldn't help feeling like I somehow belonged as well.

Finally the first rider was presented, a young boy of maybe five or six years old. He sat proudly on the horse and smiled as he was guided into the corral. After the introduction, he proceeded through the skills course, as volunteers on either side of the horse helped along the way. As he trotted back up the middle of the corral, he and the horse stopped in front of the spectators for their finale. Parents clapped and softly cheered, and the boy smiled and waved before being led off for the next rider. And this is how it went, with the sun slowly setting, for the next forty minutes or so. Riders of different ages, boys and girls, all with differing needs, sitting proudly atop a horse, playing it up for the crowd, and smiling at their accomplishments, the approval of parents and spectators, or both. Some riders had volunteers at their sides, others bravely and skillfully guided the horse through the course on their own. Snapping picture after picture a feeling of wonder and awe overcame me.

At this point it was late dusk, and night was quickly approaching. A few small lights that surrounded the corral were turned on for the last rider of the evening which enhanced the somewhat surrealist mood. As a final treat, the last rider was going to be doing a performance. She would be riding to music. As the smiling young lady rode into the corral, stopped in front of us, someone pushed the button on a CD player. And as the first few notes of Israel Kamakawiwo Ole's version of "Over the Rainbow" started to play she started her ride with arms gracefully moving and gesturing to the music. If you've never heard this version of this classic song you really do owe it to yourself to hear it once. It's a beautifully, simple rendition with a slight reggae feel to it. I don't think that I could have possibly recommended a better song for this moment.

With night now surrounding the corral, and music emanating from somewhere out of the darkness, the young lady rode through the course, lit only by those few spotlights in a scene that had the entire crowd silenced. For the first time that evening, I put my camera down and just watched. It was an amazingly powerful and humbling moment standing there as she "danced" on that horse in the dark, a big grin on her face, as if there were no one else in the world at that moment but her, the horse, and the music.

So in those very simple forty minutes of time with no cell phones, no email or internet, no computers, no television, no need to win or excel, and no other obligations beyond watching and enjoying, I realized that life is only as complicated as we choose to make it. In watching these children and their parents I've also realized how easy it can be to take so much for granted. I tend to forget that life is anything but predictable but am sometimes lulled into a false sense of security by the routine of it all. Life is full of hurdles and challenges that we sometimes avoid or escape from, challenges that don't even measure up to what these wonderful children must face daily. But unlike us, they don't have the luxury of avoidance because the challenges they face are the very life they live every day. Since this was my first time doing this I didn't really know these people personally so I don't presume to speak of their lives from any personal experience. However, I can speak from what I witnessed and the respect, admiration, and inspiration that I felt as a result.

As a photographer I've learned that sometimes the camera can act as a barrier between you and your subject giving you a sense of detachment and sometimes a feeling of security. However at other times, as in this case, the camera pulls you in and connects you to the person on the other side. When you experience it for the first time, it can be a little disconcerting and uncomfortable. But for me, that's what photography is about and each and every one of these riders had pulled me in.


Thank you to everyone involved with T.R.A.C.C. for their hospitality and for the job that they are doing. It was an amazing event and I appreciate the opportunity to have been there.