At High Caliber Stables I can't help but smile when I think of Saturday mornings. Our first horse is worked at 7AM. The barn is cold and the coffee is hot. There is nothing better than visiting with families and riding show horses.
Our Saturdays are full of riding, laughter and a lot of giving each other a hard time. Well, givingmea hard time. At any moment there can be four people in the middle of the arena watching horses work or fourteen people in the middle watching. We are busy and take what we do seriously, but not without giving somebody a hard time! And all the while cracking up at Mona who isstillconvinced people come to see her on Saturday.
If you are lucky enough on Saturday (if Dan Marcum is in town), you might get a delivery of church hot dogs from the local Methodist Church. The minute he walks in the door, you can watch Kelly and Abby quietly walk his way to grab their favorite food to keep them running in full force. I often have to remind Kelly to share with the guys as she is grabbing for her two hot dogs. You had also better watch out for Tom Brock he is another big fan of Church Hot Dogs!
With Show Season around the corner I always try to remind myself that owning and showing a horse has to be about more than just that one show and that one ride. Saturdays are my reminder of ALL the things that make riding and showing American Saddlebreds great. The friendships, the laughter, the hot dogs, the real dogs, the people, the horses, the progress, the challenges, riding outside, riding down the drive way and enjoying the people that you have something in common with. This is the good stuff. These people you ride with that you cheer for during the successes and hold you up during disappointments.
Show your horse -but enjoy your horse. Come and ride and be your best but never forget to laugh. Enjoy success and work to be the best but fall in love with the process. Not everyone can stand in the middle of a cold arena that is dripping water from the ceiling on a Saturday morning with a dog at their feet and a really loud teaching coaching your rider wanting more and not afraid of telling them. Yes, Saturdays at the barn. It doesn't get any better than that.
Have A Great Week.