Being Excited!

Have you ever felt so much excitement over something that you just can’t sleep? I get this way often and I used to think it was a ridiculous reaction to things, but now I embrace it! How often are we expected to play it cool, or be aloof? Shoot, I feel like we have an entire generation of kids who are being taught by the media that it is uncool to feel excitement and joy. I actually find myself annoyed when people just act like they are too cool to feel excitement.

Three weeks ago one of my customers called me and asked me if I would begin working with her horses again. When Hailey came off of Buttons in January my customer decided she was ready to work with her girls again and was really enjoying them. I was and am so happy they had that time together. I would be a dang liar if I didn’t say I was super excited when my customer asked me to begin working with her girls again. I sat there and thought of all of the fun I had teaching Addy to smile and become focused on me so she could calm down and work. It was great fun and I couldn’t wait to see if she had retained her signature trick. All day yesterday I thought about seeing the girls again. I was beside myself. When I was on the phone with my mom, I must have said at least three times, “I can’t wait for tomorrow.” I literally felt like a little kid getting ready to go to an amusement park.

This morning I woke up and just beamed with happiness. Today was the day, after 10 months of not seeing the girls on a regular basis that I would get to see them and work with them again. I had to go to my girls first and take care of them, take Hailey to school and then drive the 45 minutes to get to the ranch. I listened to podcasts the entire time to keep my mind busy and to keep me from speeding. It was such a long drive this morning.

When I pulled up to the gate and opened it I could feel the excitement both of the horses had. Even the piggies were happy to hear my voice. I of course loved on Addy first because she seemed the most excited. She was so sweet and so happy. When Addy and I began our hand walking which is all she can do right now due to a surgery in August I thought well this is the test. Will all of the work we did still be sitting in there. She had a habit of being pushy on the ground before, and this is the first thing I look to see if it has stuck. IT DID!!!!!!! My sweet friend remembered everything! We walked and talked and just had such a wonderful time. Then it was time, did she remember smile? She did!!!!! I almost burst with happiness. She is still perfect!

(What I thought it might be like working with this sweet girl who has been in stall rest from the surgery)

It was also in this moment that I realized the training method that I do sticks with the horses. They don’t regress! I honestly thought Annie (my mare) who I had to retrain to calm down and think was only able to still be good under saddle because she was mine, even though we have had to take multiple breaks due to her physical stuff. Annie pretty much always holds true to the training. When Addy held it today, another horse named Chloe who I hadn’t touched in two years held everything as well the other day, and Annie goes just like we never missed a day again even though she and I had 11 months off of riding, it proved this is real and it works. I became completely excited again! The process is slower than most but it sticks and it works!

Today was just a day that reminded me to hold on to my childlike excitement because it fuels my fire, and lots of animals and I reap the rewards!!!!

Below is a picture of Addy and I from today. Look at how soft her eye is, when I started working with her, the whites of her eyes always showed. It is so amazing that this is still how she feels. Man I love my job! “God Is Great, Most People Are Good, and Kiss Those Furbabies ❤️”