And the Sun Does Rise

It is over.

Mostly.

Well, except for the part about the ‘winning side’ gloating for the next year about how they were so right, and the ‘losing side’ saying it isn’t their fault when something hits the fan.

What does this have to do with horses? Absolutely nothing. But somehow, it has leaked into the very fabric of our every day for months on end. Riders who were always friendly at shows, now despise each other based on some off-handed humor meme they posted on Facebook. I saw a post Tuesday morning by a man I have known since I was young, whom I always considered a friend say some very nasty things about anyone who opposed his candidate (one of those ‘anyones’ was myself)  that would give a girl with thinner skin chills.

What is my point?

It is a new day, and the sun shall rise, and another horse show year will come. We will all watch the results come through from Vegas, cheer on our friends and pour a glass of wine. We will prepare for a short winter where we will love our fuzzy horses, make them a bucket of warm bran mash for Christmas morning and pull out the clippers come the first show of the spring.

It is over, and in the end, whether you compete locally or internationally, this is a very small industry where we are so lucky to spend our time with each other doing what we love. Support your friends, your staff, your grooms, the shows that work hard to keep you coming year after year (Mar-a-Lago, anyone?) and leave all of this political nonsense behind.

It is time to celebrate life behind the ears.

Happy trails, America!