The Roar of the Falls: My Journey with Kaya

I don’t want to get Squirrel into trouble, but I believe he won’t listen to me or Kaya. So I remind Kaya that he’ll listen to an elder. We make our way back out of the bushes and find Toe-ta mounted on a powerful white stallion who is dancing in a circle, tossing its head and stamping at the ground. Calmly, he brings the horse to a stop and pats its neck, murmuring something soothing. When Kaya points to the juniper trees where Squirrel is and says he needs Toe-ta’s help, Toe-ta’s brow creases with concern and he dismounts immediately.

Toe-ta passes through the branches to see Squirrel slapping the gray horse with the rope. The horse is trying to rear now, its eyes wide and its ears pinned back. At the sound of Toe-ta’s voice, Squirrel’s head snaps around. Toe-ta reminds Squirrel that Nimíipuu treat all animals with respect. He explains that maybe the horse wouldn’t come because Squirrel wasn’t asking in a way the horse could understand. Squirrel was thinking about himself, not the horse. Toe-ta instructs Squirrel to go home to the village.

Squirrel stormily pushes past us, scowling, kicking up little clouds of dust with each step. I expected him to talk back, but he didn’t. Toe-ta easily guides the horse back to the others, speaking to it in a calm, steady voice. He says that Kaya and I did what was best for the horse, even if Squirrel had to learn a hard lesson. It was good we asked for help. Now it’s time for riding.

Kaya suggests I get on a large black-and-white spotted horse standing calmly nearby. I gulp, my stomach twisting into a knot. I’m going to ride the horse alone?

I try to stall for time, but I can’t tell Kaya I’ve never ridden before. She thinks I’m Nimíipuu, and Nimíipuu grow up on horses. I touch the scrape on my forehead and say I’m not sure how well I’ll ride today. Kaya assures me we’ll work slowly and Toe-ta says Kaya is a strong rider, and she’ll stay with me.

Kaya helps me mount the spotted horse, the leather-and-earth smell of him filling my nose and his warmth radiating through my legs. I clutch the mane with both hands until Toe-ta hands me the rope reins, which I clutch as well. I feel the power in the horse’s muscles shifting beneath me. He tosses his head and I grab more mane, giggling nervously.

The horse steps forward when Kaya moves him forward a step, his hooves clopping softly against the packed earth. I lurch and almost plant my face in his mane. I quickly push myself up, hanging onto the reins. Toe-ta reminds me to relax my hands so I can feel what he wants through the bit in his mouth. I look down and see I’m clutching the reins so tightly my knuckles are white. I loosen my fingers and Toe-ta nods approval. Kaya leads us around in a circle and I realize I can feel my abdomen moving with the horse. I can start to feel the tension of the bit through the reins.

Toe-ta calls for me to start riding on my own.