Anne and Roanie
Well this season hasn’t been exactly what I had envisioned, but are they ever? I had a lot of goals and didn’t reach many of them, but sometimes you just have to roll with it and take what you can get. I have probably worked harder this season than any other, but I do know that eventually it will pay off. I have to stay positive and know that I am doing the grunt work now and eventually it will all come together. I think the part of waiting for it to all come together is the hardest part. You get small glimpses of it and you think “this is it” and then something knocks you back down and you are back to the grunt work. However it only makes ya stronger! I have realized though that sometimes you just have to take a mental break. I think these are very important. About 2 weeks ago, after a shitty practice and trying hard not to be frustrated I finally said “okay, time to step away” I am a very persistent person and sometimes this can get in the way of logic. I can easily admit that I get upset when I don’t reach my goals. I can easily turn into a psycho! I noticed this a few weeks ago and finally said to myself “you have nothing to prove, you have a nice horse and you need to take a break”
So that is what I did! I took a break! I hauled my horses the 4 hours back home, which was supposed to be that weekend where “it all came together” and it was the weekend where “it was still falling apart”. The good thing is I got in the truck on Sunday and felt relieved. I felt happy and free, that is when I knew a break was really what was needed. I am so thankful that I realized that and stepped back. I decided to take the pressure off, bring the fun back, and just enjoy what I had set out to do and that was HAVE FUN with my horses. No matter what it needs to be fun. I don’t make my living doing this and I should always try to enjoy it to the fullest which is totally who I am. I just let this season get to me mentally and was able to see that and walk away for a few weeks.
It has been 2 weeks since I stepped back and now I can see clearly and I am ready to get back out there again. It really doesn’t matter the length of the break but I really feel that breaks are important in every aspect of competition. We all need them and so do our animals. I feel like a new person now and have found my energy again and can’t wait to get back to working my horse. I know that he needed the break as well and we will come back stronger.
I leave you with one of my favorite quotes from Cindy Gayle (Dena Kirkpatrick website)
“A set back is just a setup for a comeback”
On The Rodeo Road 