In my last post I left off with saying Stoney was entered in Feather Creek Horse Trials. Well, Mike rode him that weekend (I went to groom and to watch), and he ended up finishing in first place on his dressage score. Talk about a successful first outing after ten months. Shortly after getting the word out that Stoney was for sale, he sold. We're talking within two months. Who knew the horse was going to sell as fast as he did because I sure didn't. I was under the impression that'd he'd be on the market around six months or so and that I would probably be riding him over the summer, so I ended up giving up some great opportunities I had, like spending ten weeks in San Antonio with a group from Campus Outreach.
So long story short I'm spending my summer in Texas and just enjoying the down time considering how stressed and overloaded I was this spring semester. With the exception of a few summer courses, I get to spend most days riding Yoda, tanning by the pool, and seeing all these great movies that are coming out this summer. I even went to Texas Rose Horse Trials a few weekends ago and groomed for Lynne's two horses, one being in the intermediate and the other in the preliminary division. It's crazy to think it had been exactly a year since I'd been there, and they were holding the selection trials for the Young Riders there again. A year ago I was competing in it there. This past time I went I wasn't riding, and I didn't even own a horse anymore. Oh how fast the changes come in life.
So coming back to the present. A fifteen year old girl from Alabama ended up with the big goof ball. All the worries I had about his new home soon vanished once I saw her ride him and I got to know her. I'm absolutely thrilled Stoney gets to have another teenage girl that adores and spoils him. I honestly couldn't have asked for him to go to anyone better. Not to mention I get to see plenty of pictures of how he's doing at his new home which makes it even better.
Stoney happier than ever at his new home.
I miss him of course, but it's not nearly as difficult as I'd anticipated. I believe most of that is due to the fact that I have Yoda to love on every single day. I guess all the love I had for Stoney has just transferred to another horse. Having a three star horse to ride every day is such a blessing and is honestly the most fun I've ever had.
As far as my life without a horse goes, it's quite a change, but I'm adapting better than I thought I would be. I've been initiated into Kappa Delta and am distracting myself by surrounding myself with my sisters. Earlier this semester I took matters into my own hands and ended up embracing the changes in my life in a new way... by getting a tattoo... or two. Also, my F150 is no more, and I am stuck driving around in a small two door Altima. I think I miss my truck almost as much as I miss my horse... And I don't think having my life flash before my eyes a few times in that car in the few months I've been driving it is helping with the transition. It's safe to say I've been dealing with a lot of changes just in this past semester, but I'm doing nothing other than embracing it.
So this is it. The final post to this blog. I'm not sure if I will create another blog in the future or not. I'm not sure if I'll have anything worth writing about really, and considering how busy I'll be with classes and Kappa Delta, there's a good change my blogging days are over. However, you never know what will happen. All I know now is that I can do nothing but live each day and handle the continuous changes in my life the best that I can. I'm not worried at all about what this next year holds without a horse. Hopefully it'll hold better grades. I know with my sorority it'll hold a lot of firsts for me that I'm excited to experience this fall. I've met so many amazing people this past year that I know will be here for me this upcoming year. No matter what, I'm not at all scared or terrified like I used to be. I can feel God working in my life right now more than ever. These changes have had me grow closer to Him, and I know he's with me every step of the way. The inner peace that brings is indescribable.
If you take anything away from my blog at all, it's this. No matter how hard you fall, you will always be able to get back up. No matter how hopeless things look or how blinded you feel, those feelings are only ephemeral. I went through so many heartbreaks in the last year I had Stoney and the changes I was forced to deal with, but I managed to make it back up on my feet. Somehow I carried on, and in the midst of this past year even with all the changes, I found happiness. I learned that change really isn't as terrifying as it seems to be. It only seems terrifying because the places you are about to tread are unfamiliar places, places you've never been or even seen yourself going to. However, you learn to adapt and find happiness in other aspects of life. I've realized now that with change comes other beautiful and great things in life, and I know now that there is no reason to be afraid anymore.
