Cob Jockey

I'm feeling extra grateful and thankful this Thanksgiving. Both in that I have more to be grateful for than usual, and in that I'm (I know, I know, common theme) feeling feelings like gratitude in ways I never have before.

I am, first and foremost, grateful for my SO. I never knew love could be like this, and never knew how powerful it is to have a partner like this. Without him, I would not have the confidence to do so many things, from the little things to the biggest things.

My SO helping my longtime career mentor unload the tiller I borrowed to redo the indoor arena footing this month, with the help of my former trainer

And on similar lines, I am grateful to have three of the best boarders on the planet. Our co-op setup is not without its challenges, but none of them are because of these wonderful people.

Boarder Leah, her husband and my SO fixing a fence the horses went through...(not Disco and Connor!)

I'm as grateful to have Disco home as I'm grateful that he was gone with Maude for a year and a half.

I'm grateful to be able to MOVE. I spent the first three months of 2024 in pain after I got cocky and made bad choices in the gym, which is very unusual for the person whose gym motto is "Don't do stupid shit". It was my first injury ever, and it really drove home the fact that being able to move is key to who I am, to my ability to contribute to the co-op, and to my mental health. Certainly not something I will take for granted as I age.

Dropping in at a random CrossFit gym in Texas with my SO earlier this month, where they had the rare appropriate-height pull-up bars for my height. Thankfully, I am ending 2024 just having set a lifetime PR back squat, so no lasting impact from that injury.

I am grateful for this little house and for the opportunity to buy this farm. Every time I walk the quarter mile across the field to the barn, I'm happy. Even in the weather.

Best commute ever

I'm grateful for my momma, for getting me into all of this in the first place and for being my rock through all of these life changes.

I am grateful for the best barn dogs, who are nearly perfect off-leash these days, and are so happy living here.

I'm grateful for Lisa, as a friend, as my "other mother", and as someone who has given me the most amazing opportunities with horses over the last decade, and of course, in particular this last year, with Encore, Eva and Disco.

I'm grateful for Kate, who, despite living thousands of miles away from me, continues to be such an amazing friend, mentor and trainer. She will tell me I'm wrong about this, but I'm not sure I could do Disco without her, and she continues to teach me the most surprising things about the animals I have loved my entire life.

I'm grateful for the relationship I have with my SO's kids, and in particular his daughter, who has fallen deeply in love with Connor, and he with her.

Most of all, I am grateful for this life I have now. I have always said that I want to build a life that I don't feel the need to escape from, a life in which I take vacations because there are interesting places to visit, not because I need to get away. I thought I had that before, but I didn't realize all the little escapes I had built into my life back then. This, now - this all feels so right.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!