SEMSCA year end

Well, it's that time of year again.  Saturday was the year end awards banquet for the show circuit we follow, SEMSCA.  We weren't the greatest at making every show; we missed the first two due to Libby's golf season (she actually missed the first three), we missed a random show in June and of course I missed the last show of the season as I spent it in the ER.  But all told me each made 8 out of 13 shows and headed to the banquet to see how we did.  

Libby and Zippy did a fabulous job.  They were reserve champions in western horsemanship and pleasure, English pleasure and equitation, and egg and spoon.  They placed in halter and bareback as well. Libby was hoping for a top ten in judged events and ended up in the top five with a fourth place finish.  She and Ace ended the year third in halter and pleasure.  She is beyond thrilled with her 2015 season and is excited to move on to 2016 with one of her new projects. 

 

This banquet was kind of unique for our family as it was the first time since 2009 that my name was announced as placing.  It was such a great year, broken collarbone and all, and I really am so thankful for Oscar and his safely carrying me around and putting up with horse show nonsense.  For a horse that hadn't done much beyond the occasional trail ride since he was just a young snaffle horse, he really did a great impression of a broke show horse.  

We had a blast at every show, and while we may not have blown the doors off any placings, we stuck it out and took home fifth in all of our classes.  It sounds more impressive than it was as no other contenders showed at enough shows to place in year end awards.  But I am not the least bit disappointed with our placings.  I'm just so excited to be in the show ring again.  Despite the fact that I make myself a nervous wreck, I am proud of myself for attempting and completing horsemanship and equitation patterns.  I'm proud of myself for taking a horse who didn't neck rein and doing a stellar impression of knowing what we were doing.  I'm proud of myself for being brave enough to slap on breeches and post in that tiny English saddle.  And most of all, I'm so glad I got to make some new friends, strengthen friendships with old friends and spend time with my girls.  Thanks for a great year, Oscar and we will miss you next year.  I know you'll be delighted to miss the baths, endless tying to the trailer and boring classes in exchange for the challenge of the trail.  And Zippy- it's time for the old folks show next year.  You're stuck with me! 

Improve Yourself

I have a board on Pinterest called Improve Yourself.  It's not a board about weight loss, hairstyles or learning a hobby.  It's solely about being a better person.  I started on this journey over a year ago.  Gosh, it is so hard.  Ugh.  There are days when I would do anything to revert to sarcasm, judging and putting on my armour of "I don't care".  But instead I remind myself of all the things I've done so far and search for new things to work or read a chapter or two of Brene Brown's book "Rising Strong".  Then I remind myself of this:

A couple of photos that I keep on my phone to refer have been great reminders/guidance for me. 

 First:

Really, can you argue with anything here?  And some of these are so hard! Like #6- I've been working on gratitude for a couple of months now with a gratitude journal, so that's easy.  But #9- tough for me.  Like anything, it gets easier with practice.  But sometimes I think it would be easier to learn to shoot a free throw and I'm the kind of person who can miss the garbage from 3 feet away.

You want even harder.  How about this one?  I literally did not know how to take criticism without becoming defensive and attacking back.  I still struggle.  This is one where I think I could master the mid court shot before I'll master handling criticism. 

What struggles do you have with personal improvement? 

Meditation

My new favorite meditation.  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1CDZGXlHYp8&t=2s

It's hard because I'm so picky.  I like the voice to be relaxing, but not the fakey breathy kind of voice that makes me want to come through my phone and shake the person.  And typically I prefer deep male voices, although they sometimes make me fall asleep.  I figure if I fall asleep during a meditation than it's doing a good job of quieting my mind and helping me relax so I don't worry too much.  

This meditation was shared on Pinterest by an author I follow on there.  She shared her book on Pinterest and it was truly amazing.  For just a couple bucks it really helped me open my eyes and I was even able to incorporate some of her ideas in my classroom. 

In fact, writing about it here makes me want to reread it, it's that good.  

If you struggle with anxiety, as I do, please take 15 minutes and try the "let it go" meditation.  And there is a quote that says something along the lines of that if you don't have time for a 15 minute mediation, then you need to do 30 mins. It can make all the difference!  

And while you're at it, download Debbie's book and see if it doesn't open your eyes to a few things as well.  Happy heartfelt wishes for peace!

The Big Break

Well, I haven't been very good at keeping up here.  No good reasons.  But in a few short days I have an appointment.  It's a big one as it is the final checkup post op for my broken collarbone.  For those who haven't heard the whole story, yes- I got bucked off a horse.  This is the same horse that a month later and not that much more practice, safely carried Libby at a huge horse show with never stepping a foot wrong.  So many people kept asking if this was the same horse that bucked, in disbelief that I finally started responding, "yeah, I just can't ride."  We will probably never figure out what caused her to start bucking that day, as she was fine minutes later when Libby rode her, but I'm just glad it seems to be behind her.

The ER Dr seemed to think I could get by with just wearing a figure 8 harness.  My own doctor took one look at my xray and knew I needed to see a surgeon.  

The surgeon gave me my "options".  I could leave it and see if some cells might drop down and connect the two pieces or I could have surgery and be better in 6 weeks.  I opted for the surgery.  I wasted a week just waiting to get to that point and I wanted to start getting better.  Before surgery, this was what it looked like:

That lump is the bone almost protruding through the skin.  In fact the surgeon said that when he went to open the incision there were only a few layers of skin keeping it from breaking through.  Sure glad I got it fixed.  The day after surgery it was already looking better:

I had to spend way too much time doing nothing or not enough of anything but it is finally getting back to almost normal.

Here's hoping the xray tomorrow shows a healed bone and I get back strength and range of motion before too much longer.  Long term is that I should probably not fall off a horse and land on it again, and the cold is more of a pain in my shoulder than a pain in my ass.  But all in all I feel a lot better than I thought I would at this stage of the healing game!