Hey Clay and I have a CON.NEC.TION! I own horses and he has been...well...in the general vicinity of some horses in the last six months or so. It's tenuous I know, but I'm taking what I can get!

I heard once that Clay used to ride when he was a kid. Who knows if there is any truth to that or just some strange made up rumor that travels the back channels and takes on a life of its own in this crazy fandom. But I find it an intriguing thought so I like to consider it.

Learning to ride and ride well is unlike working with most other animals. You must learn how to communicate your wishes with this rather large animal who has no real interest in what you want to do or why you want to do it. Well OK I could be wrong on that part. They do have a natural curiosity. I'm sure the wild horses that watched him dig the SUVs out of the sand at the Outer Banks probably were quite puzzled at what the strange people were doing with those scary big machines. But mainly I can guarantee you that if it involves you trying to get them to "do something" they are pretty much not interested. Especially if there's clover anywhere in the vicinity.

But for some reasone we keep at it - working with them that is. Because when the instant hits and the horses understands what you want and does it, and does it willingly, well that is a moment of pure joy.

I can only guess that must be what it was like when Clay worked with children with autism. Those tiny moments of break-through must have given him great joy and fueled him to continue on. My greatest hope is that he finds that joy in singing now.

So when I venture out to the stable tomorrow and look out over the pasture where they keep the mares and this year's foals, I'm sure I'll think of Clay and the mares and foals he saw in the outerbanks and wonder if he had any memories of riding some old horse from childhood.