Work Hard & Smart

Today, I realized something. I have a bunch of really good opportunities staring me in the face, and I've been turning a blind eye, with stupid excuses. But I don't have time to ride a bunch of horses every day! But I'd rather save money than take a dressage lesson every so often! But I don't want to! But that horse is kind of boring, so I won't get much out of riding him! But that's hard work! But I don't want to deal with that horse's attitude! 

Dear me, that's stupid. Dear friend who helped me realize this, thank you. 

Today, I was speaking with my best friend, who is taking some big steps soon so that her horse career can really take off. It really got me thinking. I am at this awesome barn, with an insanely knowledgeable and talented barn owner. I need to utilize that. I need to watch her ride more, I need to take lessons with her more, I need to do more around the barn to help her out, because she has a lot on her plate. I have a fanfreakingtastic farrier whom I adore and who I could ask questions the entire time I hold horses for him. I have a wonderful vet, and the dentist who just floated Gambler's teeth last week has asked me to horse-sit for her when she goes out of town, which opens up the possibility of a relationship with her. I have many, many horses who I have been asked to ride, and yet I don't. I am wasting precious time, I am not prioritizing correctly, I am putting my happiness second to academics, even though I could put that first and still do well in school. 

"People get places in life because they bust ass." -My wise friend :) 

I'm not busting ass. In fact, I'm sitting on it, and watching the world rush by. What the heck am I doing?! 

"... you realize how much desire, practice, and drive gets you to be good.. not fancy instructors" -Same friend

Talking to her made me realize some things. Horses are what make me happy. So maybe I'll still major in psychology, maybe I'll become an EMT, maybe I'll go into ministry (can you tell I'm undecided on what to do with my life? Yeah...). But I can touch people's lives through horses. I can touch the lives of horses, and change them for the better; Gambler is a living testimony of that.

If I work my butt off, I can get good opportunities, to work with more horses, to ride more horses, to get to know talented horsemen and women, and to learn.

So what if I pursue medical school, get neck deep in student loans, only to realize that all that gives me is a comfortable paycheck and a secure life, on a strictly materialistic level? Horses make my heart sing, they play my heartstrings and create a beautiful song.

Yet, I'm putting that on pause because "school will get me farther".

Clinton Anderson was a high-school dropout. Heck, Bill Gates was a highschool dropout. Does that mean I'm going to quit school tomorrow? Absolutely not.

But I can do both. And I can kick butt. I can do this. So, maybe I'm not the most naturally talented horse-woman there is. But I think I can make up for that in hard work, if I put my mind to it.

So today, I am promising myself something. I am going to work hard. I am going to ride Gambler, and Riley, and Auggie, and whatever project that I get, every day I can. I am going to go to the barn every day, regardless of if I want to or not. I am going to spend every break shovelling gravel (want to know what I did last spring break?) and cleaning the barn and soaking up every second at the wonderful barn. God put this barn in my life, a gift that He just handed to me and said "Here. Take this opportunity and make something great". Well, I haven't been doing that. But I'm going to. I'm going to stay at the barn late, doing chores. I'm going to teach more lessons, even if I'm not paid. I'm going to sweat and cry and work hard. I'm not going to sleep. I'm going to kick butt in school, because I'm going to work hard. I am going to pour my heart and my soul into my academics. But I'm also going to pour every ounce of my being, every ounce I have of everything into my horses. I'm going to ride and work with Gambler even when that's the last thing I want to do. I'm going to figure out how to improve my riding, I'm not going to cut corners or skip steps in his training. I'm going to apply for jobs at different barns, I'm going to do working student jobs, I'm going to try to get internships out in Leesburg under good riders. I am going to work hard, I am going to work smart.

And I am going to make a name for myself. I don't care if I don't become a doctor, or a top trainer. I don't care if I never run my own barn. I care that every day, I make the choice to push myself a little harder than I did the day before.