A Farewell to 2015

Hello all, I trust this blog has found you safe and sound in the new year! It has been awhile since I've had the chance to sit down to bring you an update. To be honest I've had a case of the blogging blues. I've wanted to put together a good post about 2015 for a few months now and the creative juices haven't been flowing. The other night I came across a post on the Chronicle of the Horse website written by eventer Jennie Brannigan. She, like myself didn't know how to make a chronological list of events exciting to talk about. She eventually came up with the idea of creating a letter to herself as if she's just about to start 2015. After reading her post,although it sounded weird at first, I fell in love with her point of view and decided to recreate my own 2015. (you can read Jennie's post here) Without further wait, here is a letter to myself.

2015 is going to be a tough one. You are going to find yourself in a deeper way then you have ever known. Don't worry. This year will grow you and you will come out stronger than you ever imagined.

The year will start off snow covered as usual and you will be thrilled when you are asked to go to South Carolina to break a horse for 2 weeks. Although it sounds exciting, don't be fooled. This will be the hardest 2 weeks of your life. Upon arriving you will be amazed at how years of working under Dave Minteer gets put to the test on this spunky Quarter Horse. After the first week, miscommunication between the owner and you will arise and you will part your ways with this horse. While you are down there the Lollypop Telethon with air on TV. Your story with Louie will be a success. You are thrilled. As your two weeks of work turn into a final week of vacation, you will enjoy sunning yourself while you have the chance. Your final night in South Carolina you will get news that one of your best friends has been in a horrific ski accident. Your world will be turned upside down. The following day she will pass and you will navigate the airport teary eyed and broken inside.

The next few months you won't have the desire to do much. You will find yourself at a horse show or two wondering why your passion of riding and training was no longer fulfilling.

Late summer will hit and you have the privileged of watching one of your students accomplish her first jump as well as attending her first horse show. In the sparkle of her horse crazy eyes you can see the little girl you once were. Only a short time ago dying for just 5 minuets in the barn, you realize you are living your dream.

You attend the Genesee Valley Breeders Association horse show and your baby green does well. You decide to fill the classic class and try your best. You will finish 6th............out of 6 and realize although you have much "homework" to do you are grateful for the opportunity to ride in that class.

Your form of "homework" will come from someone you watched as a child. Carol Kozlowski will start giving you lessons.Yes, Carol Kozlowski from the Erin Go Bragh video you watched until you could repeat the whole movie backwards. The one you rode every stick horse, chair arm, rocking horse or anything you could get your hands on to. You will grow in your understanding as a rider in the next 4 months more than you have all year. You will also have the privilege of taking Simon to Carol's for a lesson. You will finally see your patience and persistence pay off.
















Although this year has been tough, you begin to realize that before the foundation of the world you were designed to do exactly what your doing. No one and no circumstance will ever pull you away from what you are meant to do. The road is long and tough. You will question and you will doubt. But in the end you will be overjoyed with the life you have been given to live. Keep pressing forward.