Back At It Again!

In November of last year, I got sick and ended up in the ER a couple of times. Even with insurance, it was several thousand dollars. A hit that big and unexpected really set us back, and we had to cancel a vacation and scramble to pay off the bills in a reasonable amount of time. To accelerate the payments, I stopped taking riding lessons (again). To make matters worse, Bill lost his job in March and we spent three months only bringing in a negligible income.

I’m no stranger to taking riding breaks. I think I’m a fairly practical person, and when it comes right down to it, I’d rather be responsible than go broke. I was really sad and disappointed to halt my progress again, and I’ve more than likely taken a few steps back in my riding ability in the last 10 months.

Now that we’re back on track, I’m about to pick up lessons again! I’ve been a loyal Foxtail Farm student for nearly eight years, so it’s a little scary touring a new facility. Since we moved, Liberty Hill is just too far of a drive to make on a weekly basis, so if I want to ride consistently, I need to find a place in my own neighborhood. I have every intention of stopping by for a weekend lesson with Cathy anytime she’s available, and luckily, she’s the most supportive trainer I could ask for. She recommended the barn that I’m going to tour in a few weeks, so I already feel like I’ll be in good hands.

I’m just so excited to get back to riding that it’s hard to think about anything else! I’ve tried to put it on the backburner and out of my mind, but I had a lesson in August and realized just how much I’ve missed riding. When I come back after a long break, I’m so much more motivated to get right to work and enjoy every moment. Instead of wasting time worrying about perfection, I was just happy that the muscle memory hasn’t completely gone away and I can still ride without bouncing around too much. Jumping is a different story, but at least I didn’t fall off. 😉

I’ll do another update as soon as I tour the facility and schedule my first lesson!