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I consider myself eternally blessed to have friends and family that are beyond loving and supportive. Ever have one of those moments when you can't see the forest for the trees? (Meaning, you focus too much on that which is in front of you, rather than that which is beyond). Recently, life's granted me with a sucker punch and it's been hard to (metaphorically) see too far ahead. All I can say is that I am beyond thankful for those who are there to pull me back from a seemingly endless "black-hole-of-suck." One mind-numbing task I do with Jean-Luc when feeling a bit out of sorts is grooming. Ridding something of dirt brings me extreme calm. I believe this is a zen thing, however, others have dubbed it "OCD". Over the weekend, to find my center, I pulled out the winter dreads from my critter's hair. He loves it and the repeated swoosh, swoosh, swoosh of the comb through his mane is surprisingly satisfying. Yesterday, I went out to the barn to repeat that exercises and basically just scream at the universe. Before I knew it, Liz showed up. In all the time I'd been visiting the barn after work, she'd literally never been there that early. I'd been banking on being alone, but on this day, as if the universe knew it was about to get it, she arrived just as I began a meltdown.
I wasn't planning on riding. I was being a wimp. I "didn't have it in me," I repeatedly said. "Toss your saddle on and come with me to the field," Liz said. "You'll feel better just sitting on your horse." Dubiously, I did as she requested. Before I knew it, I was tacked up and in the saddle. My head was everywhere, but just as we crossed the threshold between the main paddock and the road to the field Liz told me to look up. There, in the sky were not one, not two, but three red-tailed hawks. "They're good luck!" Liz said. "Two are for you, and one is for me," she continued. Everyone can use a little luck. I'd never seen that many hawks in one place, but clearly something was in the air. In my head, I hoped the hawks would bring us both blessings, and that we could have the wherewithal to recognize them when they came. We rode on, and the focus it took to get Jean-Luc to listen to me pulled my mind back from the edge. He likes to test me every time we head out. We have PLENTY to work on. With direction from Liz, Jean-Luc and I performed simple tasks, weaving in and out of poles, going the opposite direction as Liz, and moving away from other horses. With each pole we popped over, I felt the relief wash over me. The simplicity surprisingly helped guide both Jean-Luc and me to a place of calm. Tomorrow is Friday. Regardless of what the day brings, I know now more than ever, time with the critter (Jean-Luc) is always good. What do you focus on when you have a rough go or a bad day? Can your horse tell? What do you do with them?
10 Comments
Liz
2/2/2018 05:41:12 pm
I am so glad I could be there to help you through the funk!!! Glad it helped ☺
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lytha
2/11/2018 10:04:46 am
Your face in that "satisfying" photo!!! I can't call it satisfying, because for me it's an exercise in futility. He'll just roll in the mud as soon as I'm done cleaning him. To my shame, I'm not even trying to get the mud off his face anymore, just the saddle area/legs. I have this conviction that my horse is actually unhappy when he's clean. Why else would he work so hard every single day to get muddy from ears to tail, both sides? It's the curse of the grey horse. I've had a few chestnuts and they never did this.
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Chelsey
2/15/2018 07:12:51 pm
Lytha,
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lytha
2/18/2018 02:09:43 pm
I've deliberated about your question for two days now, how best to answer you. I think you are doing everything right, so there's not much to say. But I was determined to find something.
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Chelsey
2/19/2018 08:47:48 pm
Thank you! This does make so much sense. Yesterday, Jean Luke and I got over into the big field across the creek and I can only credit that with the fact that I was able to talk to him. I explained to him that, “Today, I will not be playing your games.” There were so many distractions, especially because three horses had just come
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lytha
2/22/2018 08:45:00 am
That's so cool you had an entire conversation with him, I can just imagine it.
lytha
2/18/2018 02:17:32 pm
*giggle* My husband just came in and said ,"Can I have our Geocaching notes, I need them to log the caches." I happily gave them to him, saying, "I just finished telling Jean-Luc's owner the ideas I'd written on the notes today!"; ) Yes, my husband heard all about you and Jean-Luc today as we trudged across the ice and snow.
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Chelsey
2/19/2018 08:49:35 pm
Ha! Hurrah! For horse husbands! That is awesome and we are honored ? from what I’ve read he sounds like a really supportive amazing fella.
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Chelsey
2/22/2018 06:16:16 pm
Hahah! You would have loved it. It was super Nerdy! I was telling Jean Luc all about who he was named after, why and, then I asked what he thought, lol? It was prettier funny. I told him how he was almost Riker, but his previous owner’s last name was spelled Riker and that might be weird. The we chatted about other names and I laughed. He was almost named for Sam’s pony in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Bill), as well. Honestly the list goes on. When considering historical gods, we had Oden, Apollo, and if only he had been a Mare I would have called him Freyja.
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AuthorMy name is Chelsey. HorseGenerator's Cuevo Gold, or as he's known around this barn, "Jean-Luc Ponycard", was foaled in 2004 from Generator's Hurricane & Cheyenne's Little Bit. Top 10 Blog Favs.Archives
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