PSA...long post!! I'm sharing because I hope to encourage others who have a dream that hasn't come true, but just won't die! I have wanted to be a barrel racer my whole life. When I was a little girl we had an old barn that sat in the middle of the pasture and I would pretend that it was the alley way and I'd run my stick horse around make believe barrels. Finally in my early 20's after I was married and had my son I started barrel racing. It was not without challenges, but it was everything that I dreamed it would be. I had a solid 3D horse (there wasn't 5D back then). I got pregnant with my daughter so I finished out the series I was running in, I won a buckle and a saddle and then I sold him because I wanted a faster horse when I started riding again. But I never got another one. That was 1997. Life happened and I wouldn't own another horse until 2015 when Trey found me this horse. He was a 3 year OTTB they called Beast (i changed it to Ace). It had been over 10 years since I had even ridden when I climbed in the saddle! I dont know what I was thinking, but I loved him instantly...still do, but man he has tested me! He's not easy. He has had some health issues that caused him to start bucking and very unpredictable that has been going on almost 3 years. 🥴 I am hopeful that we are past that, but now he is a 9 year old that acts like a 3 or 4 year old. I have bought a couple more horses since Ace trying to find the one that I can actually compete again on. It hasn't been easy. I have even tried running Trey's roping horse. Last night, after a really slow, ugly run through the pattern I finally realized that I have been avoiding putting in the work on Ace that is necessary if I ever hope to compete on him because it's hard. Gunner is so easy to ride. He does whatever i ask, when I ask it. It never enters my mind that he may buck or bolt. But he is not a barrel horse. And, he is 21 with arthritis and mild navicular. It doesn't make sense and it's not fair to try to make a barrel horse out of him at this stage in his life. So I woke up this morning committed to doing whatever it takes to bring the best out of him. Does that mean he will be a barrel horse? Not necessarily. But I am going to give him my best and we will see what happens. Either way, he will be a better horse and I will be a better horseman for it. Commit your works to the Lord [submit and trust them to Him], And your plans will succeed [if you respond to His will and guidance]. Pro 16:3

Posted by Deleted (f057b7de) at 2021-12-03 18:21:33 UTC