So much to say...

So much has been going on in the last couple of weeks – many times, I have tried to sit down and write about it, but I can’t seem to get my heart into it.

Wednesday of last week (the 14th), I had my first lesson with my new coach, who comes to my place to work with Bronwyn and I. She has started many a horse and carried a very successful Appaloosa breeding program and competed at the National level with her horses. I have known her my entire life (actually, I have my existence to owe to her as she was the one who introduced my mother to my father!), and enjoy her company and value her opinion. The lesson went very well. At the end of it, both Bronwyn and I had relaxed significantly and both of us were moving pretty well – Bronwyn with her head down, relaxed, carrying herself even on a loose rein. We worked on getting her off the forehand, balancing out some transitions (because she rushes quickly into upward transitions), and other things. I am also trying out a new-to-me wide saddle on trial. So far so good, but things have been so hectic the last week or so that I haven’t been able to ride in it more than 2 or 3 times.

That night after the lesson, I was preparing to drive my coach home on a road I have driven a million times before. My father kept insisting that he come, and I tried my hardest to get rid of him – all I wanted to do was analyze my ride with my coach the whole way… but I couldn’t get rid of him. It’s funny how, in retrospect, you see that things are the work of something much larger and more significant in this world than you are. As we were driving my coach home, we struck a large cow moose with our Dodge Caravan. My father was at the wheel, and had the foresight to drive defensively enough that we ended up with absolutely no injuries and very minimal damage to the vehicle (in fact, I drove it to work the next morning). Anyone who lives in an area that is populated with moose knows that there are few instances when someone walks away from a meeting with a moose. Believe in God or don’t believe in God, but it was no accident that my father insisted on coming and was at the wheel – I would not have been able to think quickly enough to hit her the way that he did, which saved our lives. If I had been driving, there may not have been anymore blog entries, ever.

I was reminded how lucky I actually was on Monday morning when I received a call at work informing me that our 4H club’s dairy leader was killed in an accident involving a moose early that morning. It happens that quickly. I, along with a plethora of other 4H leaders and members, not only in our club but across the province and into other provinces, even, was heartbroken. The past week has been very stressful – his oldest son is in my light horse project and was very close to his father – this has been extremely hard on him and his two sisters and brother, all of which were 13 and under.

This is an article about the kind of man that he was.

The rest of last week was spent kind of trying to get back on kilter. The funeral was yesterday. I was told this morning that I looked more like myself than I had all week. You just don’t realize how quickly it can happen.

So, while this isn’t “fat horse” related, ladies (and gentlemen who may be reading), please drive carefully, love deeply and appreciate life (and those around you who are important to you) to the fullest.