These eyes, ears and feet have covered some incredible country this year. After we thought that we might never experience another sunset on a mountain again.
Now I’m collecting sunsets and spending as much time outside as possible, sometimes sleeping outside even at home, just so I can see the stars.
I got Covid for the first time in the fall of 2022, and several times since. I felt the symptoms of long Covid through much of 2023.
In January of 2023, Lacy partially tore a ligament in her left hock. For a long time we thought she’d never take another sound step.
Just as I was feeling better last fall, I took a hoof to the head. Even though I never stopped working, that set me back a few months.
Right after Lacy was allowed out of a pen again last summer, she poked her eye and got a corneal ulcer that took forever to heal. We almost put her down then. She was – allegedly – lame on 3 out of 4 legs at the time, with no clear prognosis.
I started riding her again in late fall of last year, when her legs, eye and my head were feeling better.
In the spring of this year, we made the difficult decision to say goodbye to 2yo DG Cedar after she broke her coffin bone in a pasture accident. It was an articular fracture, meaning it went through the joint.
Between all of that, and some other hard hits I didn’t see coming, life’s brought me to my knees a few times these past couple of years. Between sometimes desperate resilience and the right people saying and doing just the right things at the right times, we’re still here.
I still have weird headaches and I get so sick now every time I catch a cold. Lacy has some permanent damage to her eye. Very occasionally she takes a funny step behind.
Life is fragile, fleeting, and good horses, dogs and friends are important.
I’m a scaredy cat by nature, always have been. I’m scared of something almost all of the time. I’ll let the video tell you the rest. 
Let me know if any of it resonates with you.
From tonight’s ride with the Wild Horse Outreach & Advocacy Ambassador Mustangs Lacy and Tiny and the best second-hand German Shepherds Denali and Ranger.
#BLMmustang#wildhorseswillingpartners#wildhorses#sunset#mountains#love#resilience#bettertogether#adventure#fall#makingmountainmustangmemories
