YOUNG AND RESTLESS

Sigh... Got a cold...

Sniffle, sniffle, cough, HACK, cough, sniffle...  AHHHH CHOOO!  Yup, a cold has once again overtaken my body and today was declared a nap day...  no riding, no projects will be completed, nothing but tea, a jacuzzi bath and naps.  It's a plan to begin the work week refreshed and ok... healthy!

Sugar, on the other hand, will be out and about with a younger woman - a talented, young 20 something that will laugh at her exuberance and let her energy soar to a level just below explosion.  My instruction to this daredevil was simple, "Do whatever you like and if you're brave, she might enjoy a bit of a gallop.  Of course, the last time she galloped was our last hunt in November...  just be safe."  And, this young 20 something laughed...

There  is nothing like the energy of a young rider.  And, I'm not talking about their ability to work, ride and play hard with out the life-giving drug called Advil. What I'm talking about, is the sheer pleasure they have with all things fun and their ability to absorb tension, stress and release it again as adventure.  Yeah, stuff still happens to them - they crash and burn, bounce up after going down and sometimes they get hurt.  Yet, fear is not a part of their make up. 

Photo by www.edfarm.com

Sugar has had the pleasure of five such young riders - all talented and joyful...  And, I have been lucky to have them too!    You can't help wondering...  just a lil' bit...  if maybe, just maybe...  Sugar prefers their romps to mine.  Hmmmm...

You see, I am an Adult Amateur Rider...  even more so...  I am officially a Master Amateur Rider.  And that means I'm... um, a ...  um...  Mature Rider.  Ok, it means, I'm over 50.  Now I don't mean to speak for every Master Amateur Rider, but there are alot of us that are similar in energy, style and even more of us are in love with the drug ibuprofen.

In order to keep this happy little lifestyle going, I work a full time job telling advising them on what to do and how much to spend on complicated stuff.  Sometimes full time can be 40 hours and sometime it can be 60...  whatever it takes to get the job done, you do it.  Riding and training time happens, after work, after taking care of the dogs and between caring for Sugar.  Some nights, I get on at 8pm and end up returning home after 10.

Nothing like the
energy of a Lab in water

Sugar's rider (me) sometimes (more often than I'd like) is brain fried from the day's activities, serious about getting something done and is not always laughing at the antics of an athletic, exuberant mare.   Sometimes Sug's rider is not living in the moment - enjoying the beauty of movement, the joy of a partnership and the gift of all things Sugar. 

And when we get that third spook at the scary gate - the slight prop and the spin - sometimes, Sug's rider is an angry mare herself.

My gift to her (and to myself) is having a young rider hack her once a week - to play, to laugh at her naughtiness/hijinxs and to give her an energy that says fun, joy and adventure.  And my wish to me and any other like-Master-Amateur rider is to find that inner twenty something rider - Have fun always, laugh more and let go of work - sooner rather than later.

Happy New Year!