Before Cacio opened back up this year, Katie asked if I’d like to work with her. She knew there would be a staffing shortage. ’You’re a natural, she said. It will be fun.’
It’s 9:10 am and John Michael Reza is ready for his weekly lesson at Project R.I.D.E. in Elk Grove. He’s wearing a riding helmet with his name printed on the back and worn cowboy boots. Despite the occasional loud whinny, it’s serene inside the arena. It smells of wood shavings and horses.