With Our Gratitude…

A typical day is a roller coaster of ups and downs. From sleeping through your alarm by accident, forgetting coffee beans at the grocery store, to getting that unwanted parking ticket, we’re constantly faced with obstacles that we must hurdle over. Add horses to the mix and you’ve got double the amount of drama.

Let’s face it, there is no way around dealing with your horses’ problems. Those small, nagging inconveniences from piled high vet bills to simple shoes, horses are a detriment to our wallets – and most of the time, our sanity. There’s no easy way to be in this sport seriously as an amateur or professional without giving away a small piece of yourself in the process. The hours are long, the high stakes are high, and there’s never a shortage of things to worry about when you’re lying awake at three in the morning.

The equestrian community sticks together. Read about how horse lovers came together to support those affected by the California fires.

So yes, it’s easy to get caught up in the negative sometimes, but horses have so much more to offer – it’s as if they have the ability to touch our inner soul. In the world of competitive sports, riding stands alone in the fact that no matter how bad things seem, you’re never really in it alone. Not only are horses our partners in the ring, but they are also our confidants, our greatest inspiration, and our best friends.

After all, isn’t the best cure for all of life’s little irritations – horse related or otherwise – that chorus of nickers at feeding time, a warm, familiar muzzle in your hand, or the sun and wind on your face on that perfect day of hacking?

In honor of Thanksgiving, we’ve assembled a gallery of our favorite moments in “Gratitude” from the past year. To us, these images capture the very best of what horse sport and the holiday are all about. Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Noëlle Floyd.