Sunday marked six weeks since Millie and I competed in a horse show.
Rain postponed one show, and the other was canceled for lack of entries.
The cancelations broke a pattern of preparation I followed every two to three weeks all summer. The pattern created my relaxed frame of mind by balancing practice with working a full-time job. A six-week layoff is a long time to practice, and negative thoughts have entered my normal routine.
Those thoughts are leading me away from the goal I set before the show season: to be the top point winner on our local show circuit.
So far, Millie and I have earned 64 points, five more than all of last year.
We are tied or close to the lead in most classes when previous years had us in third or fourth place at this time of the season.
The preparations routine (not in place last year) seems to be doing the trick, and I’m feeling good that we can finish the season in the first place in at least two events.
But with the show cancelations, points are hard to achieve this late in the season and my negative thinking is telling me, “Why bother finishing because the goal can’t be achieved anyway?” … and “Preparing for shows is just not that fun anymore.”
Last week I was a volunteer horse handler for a Girl Scouts event at Rock Ranch.
Five girls learned about horse behavior, basic care, and ended with a beginner riding lesson. I worked with a girl named Izzy.
She’s a confident rider, having attended a summer camp that offered horseback riding. She was eager to learn more and, with a little instruction from me, was able to complete most of the saddling and riding tasks by herself.
While I walked alongside, she rode through an obstacle course to end the two-hour session. Each Girl Scout wore a smile and was in good spirits despite the warm and humid weather conditions.
Just before Izzy left, she surprised me by handing me a present. It was a Girl Scouts badge for horseback riding.
That badge hangs on my home office bulletin board, next to a picture of me with Millie.
It is a gentle reminder to push away those negative thoughts that tell me preparing for horse shows is not fun anymore, and I should see my goals through to the end.
The badge brings me back to Izzy as she thanked me for the time she spent with a horse.
She reminded me not all of us have that opportunity, and I am fortunate I get to spend that time in the barn every day. Time in the barn is relaxing and pleasant after working in the office all day.
While the badge was just for horseback riding, I wonder if the Girl Scouts have a badge for cleaning up manure?