Thanksgiving

Aside from gorging on turkey and hearing about the Black Friday sales, Thanksgiving is traditionally a day to think about how lucky you've been for the past year and to give thanks as appropriate. Here is what I am thankful for this year.

I am thankful for my husband who not only tolerates the paddock boots by the door and the saddle pads showing up in the wash, but will show up to take pictures and video tape for my records. He also takes me out to dinner to celebrate my accomplishments and lets me wallow in my sorrows.


I am thankful for a trainer (she's the one in the pink hat) that can tolerate my flaky moments, my control freak tendencies, and my own unique quirks. I'm thankful that she will still coach me after I show up with a blingy browband and a brightly colored saddle pad.


I am thankful for the friends I have made at my barn. We're an odd ball, eclectic bunch, but we all have this horrible addiction in common. They're also great for things like 'Hey, I need to pull Fiona's mane, can you just give me a hand? She should be fine, I swear . . . '


I am thankful to ride at a barn where we can do things like go out hacking, are close to fox hunting, and can show almost every weekend all summer if we want to. My checkbook doesn't appreciate it, but Fiona does.


And, of course, I am thankful for my horse. Through the tantrums and the explosions and the screams of 'Whoa, damn it!' ringing across Area I, she has made me smile every time I've gone to visit her.

A happy turkey day to everyone.