A Mixed Bag

Today has definitely been a mixed bag of tricks. It started yesterday with some unexpected changes surrounding the AEC's and a couple of misunderstandings/miscommunications. As a result, I went to bed early last night and woke with the very distinct and unusual desire to clean my house (This is never a good sign as it usually means somethings bothering me. It's kind of like getting up on the wrong side of the bed.) Needless to say, I started my day feeling prickly and a little down. Okay, a lot down. It mostly has to do with having more on my plate than usual and just burning the candle at both ends for WAY too long. The flames are just about to meet.

I'm trying, trying, TRYING to stay focused on the biggest task at hand, which is the most important competition of my life thus far: The American Eventing Championships. Owning my own business and trying to take care of it and all the people around me, not to mention my furry children, is just about to put to me over the edge. Don't get me wrong! I LOVE MY BUSINESS!!! I DO!! But what's hard about owning your own business, and what most people don't realize, is that you NEVER truly get a break from it. It's like a child. It's always there, and it always needs something. When you're the sole employee, well you do the math...I'm the owner, manager, buyer, salesperson, full-time, part-time, CSM, marketing director, accountant (a job I LOATHE!) website designer, janitor, you name it, and I do it! Sometimes it all gets a tad bit exhausting. OK, more than a tad. This morning I was feeling the weight of that responsibility and then some.

So when I walked into the barn this morning to get ready for my jumping lesson, and one of the first things I hear is that it's supposed to rain for the AEC's, well...First of all, we're still a week out. Newsflash people! The weather forecast can and probably WILL change!!! Secondly, I just get so tired of "Gloom and Doom, gloom and doom!" I am NOT trying to beat on the folks at my barn talking about the rain. I'm just trying to take this one day and one step at a time. If I'm about to ride and it's pouring, well, I'll deal with it then! Today I just needed to have a good ride and stay focused on the task at hand.

As you might expect I was a little annoyed and yes, still prickly, when I finally got on my horse. Syd, sensing my mood, decided it was a good day to go to battle with me. He rarely picks a fight, but today he must have been feeling a little "on the wrong side of the bed-ish" himself. He did NOT want to go where I wanted him to go. But today, anger was on my side in a good way. I had just enough gumption to say, "NO! I'm the boss!" That was that! And I never had to even touch my whip. I just wasn't in the mood to put up with any shenanigans and told Syd so! As a result, we ended up having one of the best cross country lessons I've had in awhile. We went up the bank; we went down the bank; we went up and down the bank; we went up the bank, down the bank five strides to a vertical; we went up the pimple and down the pimple; we went up and over the pimple one stride to a vertical and then reversed it. Needless to say, it was just the cross country lesson I needed. I finished the lesson, dare I say it, feeling (gasp!) ready for the AEC's. FINALLY!
So sometimes good really does come out of bad...And the road to the AEC's is rapidly shrinking! One week from right now, I will have already ridden dressage!!!