Have you noticed? There haven’t been too many stories of the horse in recent months. Regular readers have come to know my horse Usache and the life lessons I learn in my attempts to become a better rider and horse owner.
For Usache and me to continue our progress up the levels of dressage, we needed some instruction beyond just dressage. Much like our lives, if we are too focused on one element, the rest gets out of balance. Usache needed some training beyond my capabilities and that of my dressage trainer so he is at “boot camp” near La Grange, Texas with a natural horsemanship trainer.
I did not escape boot camp, although I do get to live in my own home. I travel to La Grange once a week for training with Usache. We are both learning new skills to take us to the next level.
This means that my days are very different. With the exception of one day a week, there is no horse. The first 3 weeks, while odd, were manageable. I developed a workshop for my business and created several other new programs for clients. Our house still needed “decorating” attention following the renovations. I went on an art tour on a Saturday and Ed and I had a weekend away.
Now comes the interesting part…what will we do with ourselves? The golf course Ed usually plays is closed for renovations. While reciprocal arrangements have been made, there are no evening practice sessions on the driving range. Instead of my morning rides, I walk my neighborhood. I know where all the rabbits, possums and raccoons reside (yes in the midst of the city) and was swooped when I got too close to a mockingbird’s nest. Wildlife prevails!
It will be late September before Usache returns to Houston, his time away made longer by a 3 week trip I will take out of country in early September. A trip I likely would not have taken had I not had the option for him to remain in training. Moving forward for me and my horse has meant some relative discomfort. Yet it is necessary for us each to grow, and to grow together, that we move out of our comfort zone and expand our horizons.
Expand your horizons by joining us for our Expert Series Interview with Linda Shirkey of The Advisor’s Resource. Register here.
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