What a WILD year we have experienced.

In January 2020 I was still grieving the loss of Blade. I lost him in a very sudden freak accident. He was by all accounts my heart horse and it was far too soon to see him go.

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On a positive note Nahe came to live with us and help Tiger and I heal through our grief. Tiger and Nahe were friends in mere minutes. Nahe has shown a kindness and maturity that’s easy to fall in love with. He is in-your-pocket and will always come to greet you. He happily accepts any love you can give and will definitely give you smooches for treats! He’s happy to be next to you even if you’re just picking the paddock. Most importantly he’s kind to Tiger even when Tiger isn’t always most pleasant to be around. In the spring of 2020 I told Nahe’s owner I wanted to make him permanent and Nahe became a forever family member.

I think it’s safe to say that adding Nahe to our family is the best thing to have happened in 2020!

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I admit I have been extremely fortunate this year. We stayed mostly safe and both of us stayed employed with an option to work remotely from home. Not everybody has been so fortunate so I count this as a major blessing.

People at work seemed eager to get back onsite…I was surprised to see how many people would rather commute. For us, we love by the motto “Build Yourself You Don’t Need a Vacation From.” Our home is truly our oasis away from the world. We work in the comfort of our home and near our animals. At the end of our day we put the laptop away and have even better time with each other. I have slept better and been happier than ever working from home.

Working from home has allowed me to develop more of my woodworking skills. I learned to build benches, bridle racks, jumps, and grain bins. I even had the chance to build some for other people who love my work!

Working from home has also allowed me to learn more about my camera and practice using it! Turns out I love photography as well!

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This year I bought a new (to me) trailer! We didn’t have a truck but at least I found a nice affordable trailer. This is a 2000 Merhow 2-horse slant. It has a rear tack room and weekender package as well as an awning.

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Later in the fall we found our truck and got the hitch installed. This is a 2010 Silverado 3500 Duramax diesel with crew cab and 8ft bed. The hitch is a B&W Hide-away. Now it’s time to learn how to haul for spring!

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So new things and new hobbies. I always embarked on new adventures!!

Tiger and I ride in two clinics. The first was a jumping clinic where he earned himself the apt nickname “Noodle.” the biggest takeaway here was rhythm. Later on we attended a cross country clinic and we tackled some more difficult jumps and I worked on being less busy with the upper part of my body.

Tiger and I also went to Otter Creek for the first time this year.

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I fell in love with horse camping….

I took Nahe on a spur of the moment trip to a cabin at Otter Creek…

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Only a couple weeks later I brought both boys back to the same cabin and shared rides with a friend.

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Just as I thought we were done camping we had a last minute getaway and Nahe came for the ride….during this trip he earned himself the nickname “Namaste.”

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As camping drew to a close the hunter pace season began. I had set a goal to ride in all six of the Hudson Valley pace series. It was a hopeful goal and one that depended on my ability to find transportation (we didn’t have the truck yet).

I accomplished that goal!

The first began with Old Chatham Hunt Club. Tiger donned the Weatherbeeta blue ombre attire and we had a fantastic ride.

A few weeks later was Wethersfield, a beautiful ride! Tiger was outfitted with his Autumn Sky Weatherbeeta Ombre set and he behaved beautifully.

The following week we rode LTKA. I gave Tiger the week off and Nahe came out with us in the Blue Weatherbeeta set.

Millbrook Pony Club held their hutner pace at Wethersfield so Tiger and I returned for that ride. We jumped the canoe!

The next week Tiger became a spicy noodle and we had a more challenging time at Locust Hill’s hunter pace. It is one of the nicest paces for terrain and jumps but there are simply too many horse/rider teams; I’m certain the amount of crowding led to Tiger’s unruliness.

After Tiger’s spicy pace I decided to let him rest and Nahe concluded the hunter pace series with me at Rombout. It was a hot hot day for November and we were both sweating. We entered the hill toppers division this time (we were hunt for the others) and we placed second! I also really like how he looks in the burgundy!

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Unfortunately despite my fun adventures and great new additions I wasn’t entirely without some sadness and anxiety.

This year I lost my grandma. Not to COVID. To dementia and Alzheimer’s. She was an angel on Earth and warmed the hearts of everyone around her. She loved horses (from a safe distance) and all animals. I feel her with me daily.

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I also have taken several bad falls this year from Tiger and Nahe. It has shaken my confidence as a rider in a serious way and my body is most definitely out of sorts. My ankle is always in pain, my shoulder is still in pain, and my lower back is daily agony. I am due for some really good rides after some chiropractic work. Losing confidence as a rider takes just seconds but building it back up will take me a while.

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It can also be a stressful year to call oneself an American. Although I am proud to be an American I am pretty ashamed with our society lately.

COVID-19 swept the country and everybody lost their minds. Hoarding and arguing. Toilet paper? Really?

Everyone had some opinion and the extremists were numerous. From refusing to social distance and being downright belligerent about it to being paralyzed with fear.

In the end if everybody simply stayed calm and isolated PROPERLY for the first few weeks/month we would have been through this a lot sooner.

Here we are almost a year later; still belligerent, still battling the pandemic.

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The pandemic wasn’t enough, either. More shootings of black civilians led to riots. What are riots really going to achieve?! Taking cities hostage and destroying businesses…harming other neighbors. Violence returned to innocent police officers.

I support the Black Lives Matter movement. I am ashamed that in 2020 we need such a campaign but the reality is we do. Our black friends and neighbors DO often have more to worry about and we have a corrupt system ruled by career politicians. It’s shameful to know people who still don’t understand this.

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And then the politics.

I don’t care who anyone voted for….I personally didn’t care for either candidate…but what is happening in the aftermath of America’s electron is an embarrassment.

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Never in my life have I seen so many adults acting like petulant children. Like spoiled rotten brats who throw tantrums when things don’t go their way. This year it quite literally been the TERRIBLE TWOs for adults in the world/country.

I was happy to be working from home and isolated from much of the drama. Still, despite keeping myself distant from the problems I am not immune to the anxiety and stress this year’s events have created.

I think it’s safe to say we are all in need of some good news and we are eagerly marching forward looking for those better days to come.

I may just do that alone….on horseback…in the cornfields behind my home.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all. We made it through the year.

How are you? Really!

I want to know!