Good morning... cant sleep tonight. Child Protective Services comes by later this morning to finalize the paperwork for my two granddaughters. Guess my mind is working over time. Thought Id share a few thoughts. A lot has been happening over the past few months. Joy, sadness, love, frustration, amazement and continued personal growth, and on and on. When I decided to pursue this Challenge, which included following a life long dream of doing liberty with my horse, little did I know how amazing this journey would be.... and still is. I had no idea that I was stepping out on a path that would bring me so much closer to myself. One big revelation that I finally got once I started in earnest with Mocha is that I was not fully vested up until this point. Ill have to explain that for it to really make sense. Im not saying that I should have started with Mocha. On the contrary. Had I done so, I would have missed so much of what I was to have gained. I truly believe that starting with Demi was part of the overall plan. I never would have gained as much as I did otherwise. A lesser horse would not have challenged my fear level as she did. A quieter, calmer horse would not have pushed me so far outside my comfort zone in riding and I would not have broken thru the barrier like I did at Craig Camerons. She and I did great things for each other. I know that I am a better person for it as I know that Demi is a better horse. On to Mocha, but first... I found Sherlock. You may remember that before Sherlock came along I was considering Mocha. I didnt share it, but I even had that gut sign that I sometimes get when speaking to God. Id asked about finding just the right horse. I was grooming Mochas mane and tail and that inner rush and the goose bumps came. And it was clear to me at that moment that Mocha was the right horse. I even went and told my husband as this was something he and I had been speaking about on the way to the ranch. BUT! My insecurity of starting a horse totally from scratch with so little time to go got in the way and I reasoned, Mocha is meant for another time, can not possibly be for the Challenge. So the search then led me to Sherlock. The connection I had with that boy was dynamic. Like, WOW, nothing I had ever experienced and Ive known a lot of horses. That was an amazing reward in itself. I did notice he had a gimp here and there that day when we first looked at him. And he tended to stand more often with that front left foot extended out in front of him, so I wasnt going to take any chances, and had him vet checked. As you know to my great joy, he passed with flying colors; and then sadly turned up too lame to ride just a few days later. I love what a few people said, He passed because he wanted to pass. That is such a neat thought. I had already realized in just those few days that he was still so young and uncoordinated with his legs and feet that he wasnt going to be able to handle anything fast or intricate like might be expected in the Extreme Cowboy Race part of the event. And his liberty would lack any flair, so I was going to focus on his strengths and train to do a great job with the abilities he does have. Bottom line, hes really not very athletic, but he moves beautifully; even as a youngster. (Hes going to be awesome in Western and Cowboy Dressage.) So there I was again, no horse and the weeks ticking away; horse road trips planned, clinics scheduled, shows and competitions found, but no horse. And then the family issues and I finally said, Okay, Ill train Mocha. We have to stay in San Antonio now for the girls. Cant go to all the educational clinics I had planned. Cant go to any of the major shows I was going to for the experience and exposure. Almost everything that I do now will be focused in house, at home. And then, friends, I finally got it! Id been looking for the easier way. Looking to find a horse that was already started in some way; that already had at least a few rides. Even Demi had been sat on and round penned and bitted prior to my taking her. I was looking for all these clinics to help me along. Sure there were/are many things that I need to learn, but the truth is I was doubting myself. What I finally got, is that I am supposed to do this MYSELF with the gifts and knowledge that God has given me. We have less than 12 weeks for the competition to start. I am excited and at peace.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Jul 2014 12:09:39 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015