Ugh! I know I’m not alone in thinking this has been the WORST year in my lifetime. I would say good riddance, but I’m not seeing a lot to recommend the incoming year either. I mean the media/Democrats managed to shove Joe Biden down our throats, at least temporarily. The “virus”, the shutdowns, election year, riots, public events cancelled and scaled down, and then the general animosity people have toward each other is disheartening to say the least. I started out the year with a vision for the upcoming year only to see it dissolve in spectacular fashion.
With that being said, I’m a big believer that you manifest your own reality, and are solely responsible for yourself and your own happiness. No one person, event, or thing has the power to diminish you. You do that all on your own. So I chose Faith over fear. Notice I capitalized one and not the other. That was intentional and not a typo. I largely ignored everything the media/ politicians have attempted to brainwash me with this year. I didn’t walk around in the depths of despair or fear. I got on with it.
Despite this year being pretty crappy on it’s face, 2020 wasn’t horrible to me or my family, quite the contrary. In fact it was a great year with the exceptions of occasionally having to go along with the charade of “its a pandemic” for a virus with a 98% plus survival rate. I know every death is tragic, but 98% is a number well within my personal risk tolerance. Our lives were touched by close family and friends testing positive for Covid, but thankfully everyone recovered quickly with no long term effects. My life really didn’t change that much apart from the fact that I didn’t report to an office for my day job as often, and business travel was pretty much a no go as well. Other than that it was business as usual on the GHLHF!
When I look back on this year the things I’m going to remember are all pretty awesome. We took Offspring to Florida to Cocoa Beach and a first time Disney trip. We adopted another BLM burro, and she gave birth to the cutest baby animal I’ve ever seen in April. Beau Pony, Offspring, and I were Grand Marshals for the Belton 4th of July Renegade parade after Beau was forbidden from participating in the previous year’s parade. We visited Port Aransas for the first time, and Offspring enjoyed the beach so much more the second time around. I got out with friends and horses for other various “pop-up” parades. My show calendar was smaller, but I managed to make a decent showing at the two events I did attend. Darling Husband, Offspring, and I took three horses to TN for the 2020 Rendezvous event sponsored by Equestrian Legacy Radio. Darling Husband was able to trail ride his mustang Koda through the mountains of TN! I enjoyed the event with both of my Appaloosas. In fact we spent more time trailering animals to events/activities this year, than we did in the previous four years combined. There were entire weeks where both our trucks remained hooked to a trailer because we had so much going on.
I checked a couple of equestrian goals off my list in 2020. Comanche participated in his first event combined test. We schooled cross country, and put in a better than expected showing for dressage and stadium jumping, actually placing third in a field of eight against more experienced horses. Comanche and Odessa showed improvements at the only Capital Area Quarter Horse Association show we were able to attend this year. I sat on and rode Johnny Cash bareback briefly before sending him off to a trainer I’ve admired for several years now, but I can say I was the first person to ever ride him, bareback in a rope halter! Darling Husband even swung a leg over Denali before sending him off for training as well. Offspring and I got our favorite Christmas pony out and about for sleigh bell serenaded filled rides, and our favorite holiday tradition the BLORA Nature in Lights ride!
Darling Husband refinished a room in our barn, transforming it from a dirt floor chicken raising area to fully floored, plumbed, and shiplapped tack room/workspace. He also poured the concrete pads for our wash pad and vet stocks. We managed to clean out and re-organize the barn and work shed that had accumulated four years of left over materials as various remodeling projects around the farm took precedence over organization. Darling Husband met some equestrian goals as well, finally being able to ride and enjoy his Mustang & Veterans Program horse.
There are plenty of reasons to complain about 2020, but we have been extremely blessed at GHLHF this year. As I sit here thinking about things I personally want to improve on, like prioritizing this blog more than I did, the year 2020 doesn’t seem that horrible at all. It came with challenges and unpleasantness that will last into next year, but overall I mainly have fond memories. I’m not into resolutions but I do have a few goals for next year!
First, I want to make this blog a weekly thing again because I enjoy writing and looking back through the posts to reflect on the good and learn from the bad/ugly. I plan to prioritize Johnny Cash over all other training projects for at least the first six months. Can’t have him regressing from the amazing training he has received from Nacho Mercedes to date. Comanche will run a close second in training priority only because we made so much progress this year. Baby donkey Sage is also in the line up. The older he gets, the more unruly the little guy has become. Once Sage is weaned, Mesquite (Sage’s mommy) can begin to focus on something other than her offspring. I would like to begin driving training for her, depending on the progress I make with the first three training priorities. Offspring is going to receive a much more organized equestrian education this year. He’s old enough to actually begin learning how to ride.
I’m closing out 2020 with good memories overall, big goals for the future, and optimistically looking forward to the upcoming year’s adventures! Merry Christmas to all and to all a Happy New Year !
Gardner Hard Luck Horse Farm 