We all have the first and the second string of horses….. the first is going to be your favorite. Your ride or die horse. Your bliss. That is Zbar Lynx To Cash for me! It’s been a tough several months trying to keep his leg healed. We have made a few runs here and there but I don’t want to continue to stress his leg to run smaller jackpots. It NEEDS TO HEAL. Dang it! So the second string aka the back up, has been brought into full force!
Now I don’t run more than once or twice a month. Maybe 3 times if i’m lucky! But I will say this… my second string, my backup, is starting to become a favorite to run!
I wanted to put it in words as to why Splash aka A Splash of Jet is so much fun! I think I have a set of lower expectations for him. I think I’m going back to “running for fun!” As a barrel racer, we always want to improve ourselves and be the best rider we can be. On Lynx, I can tell you exactly what I did wrong. When I didn’t sit, when I didn’t look up etc. I can literally shred my run down second by second. I have been working hard to remember how super blessed I am that he “lets me run him”! I’m so blessed with him! But it’s in my nature to pick on myself. Lynx has left some pretty big shoes to fill when he is out of commission. So I stopped. I stopped expecting the others to fill those shoes!
My second string is Splash and Goose. Goose is currently being ridden by my friend Tori as she wants to start barrel racing and he is a pretty easy going dude! So that means Splash and I get to soak up the good times! I legit rolled into a race yesterday with no expectations except to have fun! And I did! My little 18 year old, 4-5D horse decided to show me that he is super fast! He clocked in the 2D 😱 And thank you Lord for letting him stay under me on the first barrel! I forgot to sit! I forgot a lot actually! He was flying! It may have been a smaller jackpot but we had some nice horses and riders come to play in the dirt! I will not discount his run!
So my thoughts are pretty simple. Enjoy the run. I think when we have no expectations and just want to go make a run for fun, our soul is so much happier! I know I’m on cloud 9! No money won, I blew past first but I stayed on, my pony ran hard and dang it, it was FUN! Count your blessings and enjoy the ride!