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The Year of the Horse

December 31, 2013 2 Comments

I’ve never been one for New Year’s Resolutions. I think about it… eat healthier, exercise more, volunteer frequently, but it always seems like life gets in the way – and the next thing I know, it’s December 31, and I surely haven’t “resolved” anything.

But looking to 2014 – The Year of the Horse, I thought to myself, “there are certainly things I can do to better myself as a ‘horse person,’” as even trips to the barn have become rushed or pushed off.

This year I will:

Dedicate at least one half-day a week to ‘barn time.’ No kids, no spouses, no work, no drama. Me and my horse. I have felt this way since I was a little girl, and there is no place I would rather be than at the barn. I NEED to make this happen – it’s therapeutic.
Make the most out of each riding lesson. I will challenge myself with new horses, harder courses, stronger exercises. You get out what you put in, and that is that!
Read one educational article on horsemanship each month, and apply what I have learned. We all crave that ‘ah-ha’ moment. Sometimes that comes in written form. Horsemanship is one of those things where you will never stop learning, so I might as well help myself learn.
Enroll myself in a clinic. A fresh set of eyes on my horse, and me as a rider, may be just what I need. I like to soak up new teaching styles, and I suppose as we grow as riders, it’s only natural to want to get new, fresh feedback.
Clean my tack regularly. Ugh. Such a dreaded task, but we all know it needs done (and I love the smell of leather cleaner). It’s just time-consuming. Maybe I will lump this in with #1.
Clean house. Over the years I have accumulated saddles, bridles, halters, brushes… more storage bins and trunks are filled with old tack than I know what to do with. I shall donate them to a lesson program or camp. They aren’t broken, just unused, and can absolutely be repurposed.
Take advantage of the opportunities given to me. When the time comes, I will make time to attend horse shows, expos and clinics. No more excuses.
Learn how to drive the horse trailer. Who wants to teach me? Any takers?
Attend a horse show just to watch – not ride. I can’t remember the last time I was on a show grounds and wasn’t running around like a chicken with my head cut off to get to this ring or that ring, or tack up this horse, or bathe that one. Sometimes, it’s just nice to watch.
Make a bran mash – just because. You know, in all my years around horses, I have never made a bran mash? In this cold weather, I have seen photos and recipes of such fun and delicious-looking ones. Ponies deserve bran mash. And I deserve to learn how to make it.

And although this looks wonderful on paper at the moment, I really hope I can stick to this list – it is, after all, the Year of the Horse!