Taking The Reins

I once read that to truly understand and know someone, we must read their whole story- their past, their present and their future.

I'm pretty sure the only way I can show you my future Is by creating it. Thankfully that's what we are all here to work on together! My future, your future, all of us together. Learning to create our own lives. So we shall work on that one ;D

In the meantime,

I want to tell you a little about my past.

I am a Canadian cowgirl.

My Daddy is pretty much the coolest guy ever and he and my Momma raised my siblings and I on ranches across Alberta until we finally settled on our very own little N5 Ranch ten years ago.

I rode horses long before I could walk.

Dad had us kids well trained and it wasn't uncommon to find my brother and I riding around the ranch by ourselves at two years old. Was it dangerous? Nope. We knew what we were doing and our horses knew we were young. They were fiercely protective of us. In fact I've included a picture below of my Daddy and his favourite horse, Cash. Cash is a quarter horse mixed with a little percheron. He is enormous. I always thought the movie "Spirit" was about him.

I honestly can't remember a time when Cash wasn't with us. His Mamma was one of my favourite horses, I learned how to jump fallen logs on her. She was the first horse my Daddy ever trained. Her name was Lucky. Cash's full brother Sundance was another favourite of mine. In a way, Cash and Sundance helped raise us kids. It is really amazing to look at picture of the horses carrying us around as littles and how gentle they were with us, especially when I look out my window and see our herd running across the fields, kicking and twisting and having a great time in general. They are powerful animals.

This is MY Daddy!

One of the first things my Daddy taught me?

When you get bucked off, Get back on.

The first time I got bucked off, thrown or fell off of a horse I was probably five years old. Hence the details of the actual fall are a little fuzzy. We were living on a guest ranch at that point and I was helping lead a group of elderlies back to their cabins from a trail ride. First thing you should know about trail horses. They are kinda... lazy? Oftentimes they become trail horses cause they aren't suited for anything else. Trail rides are easy, all they have to do is follow the horse in front of them. And that's really all they do. Back to the story, and Dad's leading the train of horses and I'm bringing up the rear, helping to keep everybody moving at a decent pace, and keeping an eye on the few horses following along the line without riders. When we got close to the barn one of said riderless horses, broke away from the train and booked it back home. Luckily none of trail horses ridden by elderlies followed, however, I was also riding one of the trail horses, and It did. His name was Big Ben,and he was a clydesdale. We went careening through the trees and I lost my grip on the reins and somewhere along the way I hit the ground. Dad quickly got the trail horses stopped and rushed over to help. I was a little dazed and surprised, but totally fine except for a few scrapes and bruises. He asked me what I wanted to do, get back on or ride back on the wagon. He helped me catch Big Ben and- to the horror of all those little old ladies- I clambered back on and finished my ride.

You see, something happens to the heart when you give up after a temporary setback.

I, personally, have yet to meet anybody who is afraid of riding who got back on the horse immediately after being bucked off. On the other hand I don't know anyone who isn't scared of horses after being thrown and not getting back on.

This translates to pretty much any and all aspects of life. I think a good word for it is resilience. Ie. the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties or the ability of an object or substance to spring back into shape.

Every moment of every day of our lives we can use resilience. Things don't always go according to plan. Sometimes we get bucked off, and we always need to get back on.

Of course, getting back on doesn't look the same in every situation. Caught in an abusive relationship? Getting back on means getting out, being brave enough to get back to living your life. Putting your own butt back in the saddle and taking the reins on life.

There are at least ten million and one applications on this lesson and I love it.

Getting up and getting on with life means that whenever I get knocked down I will continue living, I am going to keep breathing. I know that there is so much good in the world that I have no use for wallowing in self-pity and fear for how bad things can become. I choose to find the good, and if I can't find any good. I become the good.

Just like my parents taught me.

Love,

Shay

P.S How have you gotten back in the saddle in your life? What will you do to become the good in the world? I am so excited to hear from you.