P"You have to be willing to fall off" echoed through my mind. Those were the words spoken by Leslie Winchell, owner of Kalimar Farms, when I visited there inquiring about taking horseback riding lessons.

P"What on earth am I doing here?" "I have to be willing to fall off?!" "The horse is taller than me!" These weren't puny ponies, but warmbloods bred for jumping. Most were 17 to18 hands (4 inches to a hand).

PAm I willing to fall off? Look what happened to Christopher Reeve! A certain amount of fear crept into my consciousness. Yet I wanted to learn to ride. As a youngster I'd saved my money to buy my very own horse but became discouraged when I discovered I had to have more than a hundred cents. I was in first grade at the time. As a teenager, I'd save my allowance to ride rental horses.

PWhen I was in sixth grade, I was convinced that I wanted to raise thoroughbreds and race them. That dream came to an abrupt end when my friend, Melody, asked me how I was going to pay for such expensive horses. I told her I would sing and sell records.

PShe thought that idea pretty far-fetched. I decided she was right and gave up that dream. Not because Melody pooh-poohed it but because I began to see how difficult it would be to ever have the kind of money required to buy thoroughbreds. Not so anymore!

PI decided that I was going to revisit my childhood dream of loving horses to determine whether I felt the same or whether it was a fantasy. So far, I'm loving it. I jumped for the very first time. It may have been only a foot but it was exhilarating!

PRiding is a great metaphor for life.

PYou have to be willing to fall off! Truer words were never spoken. Fear comes up when you go for your dreams - but it doesn't have to paralyze you.

PKeep your head up and look where you're going. I don't know what it is about the horse's ears, but I find them fascinating. Unfortunately, watching his ears doesn't work when riding. Evidently, horses are extremely sensitive to your body language and if you're not looking ahead, they sense it. What happens? It creates anxiety and confusion. Now isn't that true of life? When you take your eyes off your goal, don't you begin to feel anxious?

PDon't let him cut the corners. Horses are lazy and the ones I've been riding cut the corners when we're walking or trotting around the ring. It's my job to keep them close to the fence. If I'm not insistent enough, they take advantage of my softness. We must be insistent about our desires.

PThese are only a sampling of what I've learned since I began riding. When we're cantering, the gait becomes smoother as I become more experienced and confident. The horse is constantly responding to the energy I'm transmitting. Rather like the Universe, always responding and mirroring exactly the message we're transmitting.

PBy the time we're in front of a jump, it has disappeared from the horse's vision. He makes the jump out of trust. I ask him to make the jump by squeezing my legs and keeping my eyes on the goal - a spot beyond the jump. He trusts my judgment. Again, a good lesson in keeping your eyes and mind on your goal.

PI'm enjoying this new adventure. It takes me out of my comfort zone and, at the same time, I learn a new skill. More metaphors - be open and willing to step out of your comfort zone and to learn something new.

POne last metaphor - if you want to enjoy all that life has to give, you have to be willing to fall off!

P(c)'00 by Aleta Pippin, founder Authentic Entrepreneuring, coaching for individuals and small business owners who want to unleash your inner power to create true success from the inside out. Take your life and your business to the next level. Visit http://www.aentrepreneur.com for more information and to sign up for your free newsletter.