This blog is so new that I'm sure I didn't have anyone wondering where I disappeared to for the past three months, but I really do intend to post to this regularly, so I feel bad for disappearing right after I got it up and running.
It has been an eventful couple of months, to say the least. On July 11, I was informed that I would have to move my program from the barn where I've been training for seven years, because they had decided to become an all-reining barn. I immediately went into a panic, as there are not many options around this area for barns that have space for a training program. To make a very long, convoluted story short: The barn that I've been at is no longer going the fully-reining direction but has decided to put itself on the market for sale, and I will be leasing another local facility starting November 15th. Lots of changes and ups and downs and stress, to say the least. Nonetheless, while I'm sad to leave what has been home for so long, I am excited for my new direction, taking on this property lease. I've always wanted to lease or own my own facility, so this feels like a new beginning and the fulfillment of a long-time dream.
Prior to all of this happening, my mom and I had been discussing what our next recording would be. I had proposed the idea for a short meditation focused on getting into the barn mindset. I want to create something that people could listen to right before they go to the barn, or even in their car when they arrive at the barn... Something that helps them put aside distracting thoughts during their barn time so that they can focus on their horse without other preoccupations. This is a theme that has come up with many students over the years. It is so hard for riders to focus on their horses when their mind is spinning with thoughts of work deadlines, relationship conflicts, financial stresses, or any number of other life concerns. The more focused we are, the better we can ride and the more present we can be with our equine partners, who don't understand WHY we're distracted and stressed but certainly feel that we are. Of course, we all know that we SHOULD put these thoughts aside while we work with our horses, but like so many things, it's easier said than done.
In general, I don't struggle much with this. When I ride, I get in the zone and focus on the horse that I'm working with. Riding has always been a bit meditative in and of itself for me in that way... I don't really think much about anything else while I'm riding and focusing on a horse. HOWEVER, when I lost my facility and started wondering whether or not I would even be able to find a place to keep my business going at all, I found that my mind was flooded with stressful thoughts all the time, even while I was riding. It really did make it difficult to concentrate! I noticed that it was happening, but I still couldn't turn off my brain. If we had already had the recording that we are going to make next, I definitely would have listened to it! A lot!
Mom has also had a busy few months, moving to a new house, but now she's mostly settled in, and I have a solid plan for where I'm going with my horses, so we can both get back to work on this... And I now have a newfound appreciation for how important and helpful our next recording is going to be!
Stay tuned, and I promise it won't take me 3 months to post again this time!