As 2012 winds down and we head into the madness of the holiday season, Thanksgiving is a great day to take stock in all I have to be grateful for during the past 11 months.

I am grateful that my husband reintroduced me to horses for Christmas 2004.  If you had told me then that I’d now own 2 horses along with all their paraphernalia and a horse trailer, I’d have laughed and said you were out of your mind.  Both of my equine buddies are special and deserve all that I am able to do for them.  Don’t believe them when they say that they are neglected and hungry.

It has been said before, but it is worth repeating – I have the best husband.  He is my chauffeur, my boot wiper, the pooper scooper, and my best cheerleader.  He is the test retriever and ribbon presenter.  We try our best to make him proud.  I can only hope the day will come when we can participate in the GAIGs and hopefully be part of the mounted awards ceremony.  I would love to present that ribbon to my husband since it would be just as much his as it would be mine…I would of course hope that he’d let me keep it with the rest of the ribbon collection. 🙂

I can’t say enough about the people I’ve met through my horses.  No matter what are lives are like away from the barn, the love and near insanity our horses bring to our lives binds us together.  Where else can you get sweaty and smelly, get covered in dust, dirt, slime, and god knows what else, but still have a smile on your face.  During our lesson today in fact, Ike flung some mouth slime at Ms. C and it hit her in the face.   She delicately wiped it off and then patted Ike with her now slimy hand and told him what a nice boy he was.  You have got to be a true horsewoman to take that in stride and not miss a beat.

I can only hope that my horses are grateful for their station in life.  They don’t have to worry about running through an auction pen with keen eyes watching their every move.  They need not worry about what happens if no one bids on them…there is no question that there will be a meal to fill their bellies twice a day, good quality hay, and plenty of fresh water in which to dunk that hay.  I am a walking treat dispenser filled with peppermints, carrots and horse treats.  They know they are loved and they are safe for the rest of their lives.

Ike and I would be lost without our lifeline packaged as a 5’3″ dynamo we call Ms. C.  I’ve been to clinics and stared at numerous judges as we head down centerline, but it is Ms. C who has molded us and imparted her wealth of knowledge on us.  Ms. C will patiently explain a concept to us, and explain it again, and again until it finally sinks into this thick skull.  She is selfless and generous and one of my dearest friends.  I am indebted to her and grateful that she is an integral part of my life.

May you all have a blessed and wonderful holiday with your families and friends.