Thanks to EN reader Lucy for sending us this touching email from the frozen tundra that is Northwest Montana. We can always use a reminder of how much we should be thankful to be part of such a wonderful sport. If you have comments, contributions, clinic reports, corrections, tips, or a personal translation of Training the Three-Day Event Horse and Rider into Russian, we’d love to hear from you. Please reach out to us at [email protected]. Update: I should have mentioned that Lucy recently won Groom of the Year at the USEA convention along with Lindsay Taylor. She sent us this view earlier this year from Jil Walton’s My Sedona.
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Montana on a warmer afternoon
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Montana on a warmer afternoon
From Lucy:
Dear Eventing Nation,
This can be a slow time of year for eventers in the frozen north. Days are short, the winter gloom has set in, we’ve been riding in the indoor long enough for the novely to wear off, and the claustrophobia to set in. Boredom and frustration can sneak up on us, and it’s easy to lose sight of our goals and focus. We may even find ourselves losing track of the blessings in our life and all the things we have to be thankful for. But the holiday season is the perfect time to remember those things, and realize how great it is to be involved with the world of eventing!
It’s a brilliant day in Northwest Montana, the rare winter day when SUN glints off the sparkling snow and everything looks picture perfect. On days like this, I can’t help feeling cheerful and so happy with life. I’ve had the good fortune of experiencing more than my share of kindnesses and generosity lately, and I realize more than ever how wonderful the eventing community is! Is there such a level of support and camaraderie in other sports like boxing, golf, dressage? I doubt it! We all know that sometimes things go our way and sometimes they don’t, and dealing with challenges makes the smooth times that much sweeter. I just want to say thank you to EVERYONE out there for being part of such an awesome sport, and an international family, and I hope we can all feel that love and share it with someone else. Remember Pay It Forward! Even the simplest of good turns makes a big difference! So spend extra time with a dear horse, lend a hand to a neighbor, visit with friends and family, smile at a stranger. We are so lucky to do what we love, and live a life with horses. I’m thankful this year for the things that have gone right, and the growth I’ve experienced from the things that went wrong. And I’m thankful that today the sun is shining and I got to ride my favorite horse in the whole world. I wish everyone a wonderful holiday and a new year full of promise!
Thank YOU!
