We live in a time when inspiration and personal growth can easily be hampered by the furious pace of everyday life. We get bogged down, burnt out, stifled and suffocated by things that drain us of our energy instead of filling us up. To live in today’s fast paced world, there are things that we must do in order to survive, but this always leads to the question, “Are we really living?”.
In all of my years with horses, I have found that there are times when I feel too tired – emotionally or physically – to give it my all, and I know that I’m not alone. The thing is, if we allow ourselves to fall victim to either hopelessness or simply the crime of not giving time and energy to our dreams, we will find ourselves as ships adrift in the ocean without sails. We need direction; we need inspiration. We need to challenge ourselves every day to dream big and to achieve those dreams!
Equestrian Bucket List Dreams
Several weeks ago, I wrote an article entitled “The Equestrian’s Bucket List – Challenge Accepted?”. It was an article that I was inspired to write based upon conversations that I have had with fellow equestrians, barn-mates and friends, and the premise was simple – what are your dreams when it comes to horses? The idea of creating a “Bucket List”, doesn’t have to be something done frantically before death, as in the Hollywood Blockbuster starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. It can be an idea or a call to action that we can nurture throughout our lives. This article inspired many of our readers; some who decided it was time that they made their own lists, and some who had had lists and been “living them” for years.
Grace and “Veda”
Grace was inspired by the idea of the “Bucket List Challenge”. After she read the article, she realized that there were so many things that she wanted to do as an equestrian, but simply hadn’t ever taken the time to really organize her thoughts. Our article was like a call to action; something that spurred her forward and made her realize that there were things she wanted to do as a horse woman and that those things were actually achievable!
Grace’s List:
- Ride around the Woodlands/Monarch Dunes in Nipomo
- Ride a “Finished” Dressage horse with a master trainer, like Karen Rohlf
- Take a Thoroughbred racehorse once around a track at full speed
- Going all out on a “horse vacation”
- Ride on the beach
- Have a moonlight ride with the person that I love
- Visit the Spanish Riding School in Vienna
- Ride bareback and bridle-less…and actually trust that I can control my horse
- Ride across the Hearst Ranch
Grace lives in Nipomo and owns a beautiful Thoroughbred mare named “Veda”. The two are inseparable, and despite the fact that Veda is getting up there in age, Grace’s care has kept her happy and sound. We hope to see a few of these things crossed off Grace’s list soon!
Doreen and “Pico”
In speaking with Doreen, I found that she indeed has a “Bucket List” and has been steadily crossing things off that list for some time. She is an avid rider, endurance rider, and owns an amazing horse who fills her life with incredible joy. “Pico” and Doreen travel and ride quite consistently, and, as a team, they are an inspiration to other equestrians.
Doreen’s List:
- Get a horse!
- Go camping with my horse
- Ride in an endurance ride
- Complete a 50-mile endurance ride
- Go on a cattle drive with my horse
- Ride in a parade with my horse
- Earn a Decade Team award with my horse through AERC
- Ride my horse in the Grand Canyon National Park
- Ride my horse at the Paramount Ranch
- Ride my horse at Lake Tahoe
Doreen has already completed numbers 1-4 on her “Bucket List”, and she plans to keep going. This kind of dedication is what being an equestrian is all about!
Take Action – Start Today
Inspiration only equals action if we nurture it… Allow yourself to dream when it comes to being an equestrian. Even if the things that you dream up seem crazy or unattainable, write them down! It’s amazing what we can achieve when we set our minds to it.
