The Benefits of Friends

It is no secret that I get along best with horse people. I'm a relatively socially awkward person, but horse people just seem to get me. At least we never run out of things to talk about :) BFF Eva and I met around horses and I know that that's the current that has kept us besties for nearly 20 years. Di-Aunt, my lovely barn owner Yvonne, horse trainer extraordinaire Jen, horses are what brought us all together. 

As I mentioned in my last post, I've recently re-connected with a high school/college friend, A, who rides and suggested that I ride with her trainer. I had a lesson last week and it was wonderful! I have one scheduled for next Friday also (that will certainly get you through a work week). What is even better is that my coworker, T,  is also riding with A's trainer.

So... today, A came out to Granite's farm! I've known her for over a decade and we've talked horses for years, but I have never even seen her ride. I knew she was good. She showed the rated stuff as a kid and then was on our college's equestrian team and she is again showing the rating stuff. I was curious how she would do on a more difficult ride (Granite), and she smoked it. She really got him to engage and gave me some great pointers on getting him balanced. Shoot, she should be giving me lessons, not her trainer! 

So what's better than your friend/ fellow equestrian driving an hour out to your farm to ride your sweet yet mildly complicated pony boy? When your coworker/ fellow equestrian and her boyfriend join you both for a post-ride cookout. It was great. T brought her boyfriend to entertain TK with NFL draft talk. We had tons of food and a few brews and hatched tentative plans to take four people and two horses to a rated show in July. Maybe... we will see. I'm not sure I'll be jumping any 2'6 courses any time soon. But, the girls are optimistic. 

Also, T handed me down some Ariats that are too big for her and fit me perfectly. 

Yay for big feet.

So, whats next? It looks like a lot of work for me and Granite if I want to actually show HIM (sidebar: I'll be grateful to ride and show anything, just would really love to do it with my horse and my investment). It is obvious that Granite and I need consistency. How do all of these adult riders make it work? And for crying out loud, I don't even have kids! Just two pups and a hubs. 

But still between work and volunteering (and I just backed out of a service club in April), I rarely have 3 days a week to ride. But, I need to look at it like working out. I need to make a schedule and make riding a priority. If I only have a few years left to be free and selfish and do what I've always wanted to do (ride and show this horse that I've raised), I need to make this my priority. If that means getting up at 4am to ride before work (did I mentioned we got lights? I can't believe I didn't fill you in on getting lights!!!), I need to be doing that. But boy oh boy, I don't know if I can physically do that. Sheesh! But if you want something, you work for it right?!

Behold lights! I should use them.