Passion

The barn taught me passion. Very few people get to experience passion at its core, in the way that it is meant to be felt. Not the passion of winning—that is superficial and relative. But rather the passion that you feel when you have nothing left but your love of something. The passion that is there when exhaustion steals your strength and frustration takes your hope. When all you are left with is this very moment, and yet you are at peace and fulfilled. That is passion in its truest form, and that is what fuels us in barns, and what sneaks into the souls of children and never lets go. That passion drives the thousands of adult amateurs to work 60-hour weeks and still ride, and the professionals to lose in grand fashion but show up the next day at 5 a.m.

The quote above is from a great blog post I read on Chronicle of the Horse. Definitely a sentiment I share. Some of us make time for riding no matter what.

After the choke debacle with P last Tuesday I was off schedule for my rides for the week. Thus Stampy got to work both Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday he was incredibly distracted and up and I rode him for almost an hour, including our 10 minute walk warm up. He ended on a good note, but it was a work out for both of us.

Thursday he was more himself and we did a nice easy ride in the field together. He got Friday off, then I made up my lesson on Saturday with a jump school. Stampede made me happy jumping. He was relaxed, rhythmic, and happy around the courses. Just the pony I like!

Stampy likes to stand strangely…

After his good performance Saturday I decided to do an easy lunge in the fake Pessoa on Sunday. He was lazy and I think I got more of a workout chasing him around…

Happy Stumper!

Meanwhile P took a mini vacation to recover from his choke. I finally got on him Friday for a quick easy bareback ride. He was definitely happy to be out and about again. Christie’s mom then rode him Saturday, and I got a good report as usual. He got his usual Sunday off, then I put my saddle on him Monday for a little more of a regular work out.

Mr. P back in action

Sunday my mom took me to the local tack shop for a shopping spree for my birthday, which was last Wednesday. I got some awesome items including a new black Mattes pad for Stampy, mesh backed Roeckl riding gloves, Ariat zip up, Oatmeal after exercise rinse (love the smell of this stuff!), a huge tub of Sand Clear, and some treats. Thanks mom!

New gloves!