If you do something totally “by the book”, it may not work out.

Best plans get screwed up, good ideas get thrown out of the window as emergencies take over. 

Sometimes the things that we never expect to happen do, both good and bad, and we need to learn to roll with the punches.  

We forget to breath and take in the moment as life gets hectic. 

This is called life and there is no manual.

People often ask how I manage….. See above! Once you realize that some things are out of your control, life becomes a little easier.

The only person I am truly responsible for is myself and my responsibility is in a nutshell:

To treat others the same way I wish to be treated, and to bring up my children to understand the statement above!

So, what has this got to do with horses?  

EVERYTHING!

Here is a story for you….

Recently, winter has spring up on us. It has been cold, snowy and hard under foot. And, as I do not have a heated indoor ring. I could not ride without risking an accident. First this got to me, I had a lesson booked and I had not managed to ride, first due to the low temperatures and then due to snow, I canceled due to lack of preparation and the snow covered roads.

I was meant to be showing too. Again, no riding, so no practice and so no showing…. I could have still gone and “winged it” but, knowing my horse, not worth the risk to our partnership.

I was soooo annoyed with myself, I felt I was wimping out….  

Then there comes a moment when you have to say, these are circumstances beyond my control. All I can control is my own actions, which means stop turning my emotions back onto myself when there is little I can do to change the circumstances.

So, I went skiing instead, I played with the children, we sat and had hot chocolate.

Don’t get me wrong, not riding takes it toll, but not beating myself up about it helps alot.

Being an Equestrian is about acceptance.