It was a beautiful fall day. A friend and I decided to go horseback riding. My instructor suggested a trail ride. We happily agreed to it.

Just before we had left to go riding, my mother had pointed out this passage from the Bible: "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever" (Jude 1:24, 25). As a pupil in the Christian Science Sunday School, I knew it would be helpful to pray with these verses whenever I dealt with horses. They remind me that God is the only power, and that He keeps all His creation in perfect harmony.

Our trail ride started out wonderfully. I was on Montreal, a safe and reliable trail horse. My instructor was on a "green" horse. (A "green" horse is one that hasn't been on the trails very often.) Her horse became difficult to control, so we decided to cut the ride short. We took an alternate path home that involved crossing a creek unfamiliar to the horses. There was a steep bank we had to go down. I started Montreal down it, but was suddenly surprised at his quick, backward movement. I tried again. This time he reared and refused to go forward.

My instructor suggested that I get off the horse and lead him across the creek. I dismounted and took him by the reins. Montreal was not following me down the bank. Thinking that he was being stubborn, I pulled hard on the reins. My instructor called out, and I turned around to see Montreal's front hooves slipping off the bank. He was preparing to jump directly on me. Immediately, my thoughts were of God's care and complete control. I got out of the way and gave Montreal slack on the reins. He was able to regain his balance without falling. I quickly climbed out of the creek bed and steadied him. We waited while my friend and the instructor brought their horses down the bank and across the creek, then safely followed them.

I thought of Mary Baker Eddy's words in Hymn 304 in the Christian Science Hymnal. It starts out, "Shepherd, show me how to go ...." I realized that God, Love, was our Shepherd, taking us across the creek. I got back up on Montreal and we went forward without any more difficulty.

The rest of the way home I thought of the Bible passage my mother had shared before I left. I realized that no one—not even a horse—can fall out of God's care. This experience has not kept me from riding. In fact, I've found riding more enjoyable than ever because the fear of my falling—or of my horse's falling—has been wiped out.

PSALMS

God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Psalms 73:26