ITTY BITTY STEPS TIL YOU RUN AGAIN

My very first event instructor once said to me as I spit out a tuft of grass and brushed the dirt from bottom,  "EVENTERS DON'T FALL OFF!"    Rut ro!  I had much to learn...  hang on for dear life!

Unfortunately, getting dumped is not a rarity in my training as an Eventer. Sugar, as talented and forgiving as she is, is known to be "quirky" as one "I-still-love-and-think-Sugar-is-sweet" dressage clinician recently labeled her.

She is an amazing athlete and yet, within all that talent, lies the personality of Mariah Carey. She can smile and coo one second and in the other, heave herself about in a fit of anger. Fortunately, I kind of like it and when I feel good, strong and balanced, find it funny. 

So, picture this...  I just finished my season and my last XC run was everything I dream about...  we were fast, sure-footed, jumping fearlessly and in stride.  That feeling is breathtaking...  we ruled the world.  Topping that, we finished the year foxhunting...  running and jumping effortlessly!  This Novice rider saw her future and it said Preliminary!  (Distant that is but possible.)

Then two weeks later, I am laying in a heap, shouting a naughty curse word over and over again, at the foot of my trainer and Eventing Buddy.  A violent spook, spin and a bolt (gently encouraged by my spur digging in her side to keep from falling off) did me in...  My ankle took the brunt of the fall...  not really broken but severely sprained.  That was December...  You know, an ankle sprain is often harder to heal that an out and out break...  {{{sigh}}}

Courtesy of Flatlandsfoto.com

This week I "jumped" for the first time and I was actually a bit scared...  Oh, not really about the jump...  but the damn potential spook and spin at the terrifying boxes in the corner after the jump.  Keep in mind, Sugar has dutifully protected me for two weeks from those boxes.  She developed a number of ways to keep me away from them.  Equally, I have "encouraged" her to allow us to pass them.

At the end of the lesson, I conquered my 2' vertical and my fear.  That itty bitty step took me that much closer to running again.  Sometimes, it's the little things that make a huge difference in life...