It looks like it's going to be another beautiful day, just like yesterday. Today, I'll be heading to Daikanyama using the metropolitan expressway. I wonder how bad the traffic will be?
Yesterday, on my way back from Mito, I stopped at a supermarket near my home to pick up some dinner items and was standing in line
at the checkout when an elderly man behind me (I apologize if I'm mistaken) spoke to me.
"Do you ride horses?" he asked.
(It was obvious from my equestrian attire. I'm not someone who is easily fooled, so I have to be careful. In that moment, a lot of thoughts raced through my mind.)
"Yes, I do," I replied.
"I've been looking for a riding club," he said.
I myself have been wondering what kind of riding clubs I might find in Kanagawa, so my guard was down.
"How far do you go to ride?" he asked.
"It's tough finding a riding club. It might be a bit far, but maybe you could search for the Mito XX Riding Club? It's the club I attend.
The horses are good, the instructors are great, and the fees aren't too high."
"I see, I'll search for it. Actually, I used to ride horses for work. I've ridden 300 to 400 saddles, but I'm thinking of riding again."
We parted ways after that conversation.
I wondered if his job might have been something like being part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's mounted unit.
Though I won't be able to go to Mito more than twice a month in the future, I hope to see that elderly man there again.
300 rides is around the point where someone who has just started riding might wonder if they should continue at their current club.
I've seen many riding friends go their separate ways from there, as everyone looks for the club that best suits them.
I too have experienced this several times and felt quite emotional thinking about it.
Ah, finding the right riding club really is challenging.