Family, Horses, and Turkey…oh my!

I have taken on the task of hosting Thanksgiving this year.  Which means cramming my family in my house, teaching the dog that babies aren’t toys, pretending to learn how to cook a turkey and trying to find time to sneak away to see Dexter.  I love my family, they have always been super supportive of my riding, even when they don’t totally get it.  But they try to stay involved, when they come to visit they say they want to see the horse.  I bring them out and they watch me ride, but I know it can’t be that exciting.  Watching dressage at anything but the highest levels, even to those of us who live and dream it, can be a little boring.  So I imagine watching me go round and round in circles as we try to perfect the shoulder-fore can get a little dry.

So when I notice my dad getting more interested in the geese than the horse I try to wrap it up.   And we end up with a short slightly un-fulfilling ride.  How do I balance?  I want to ride this weekend, in fact I think it would benefit all as it would keep me from completely loosing my mind.  But how do I justify leaving my guests for 2+ hours for some “me” time.  I thought a good balance would be to invite them along, but I see now, that won’t allow me to do what I want/need to.  Which is seriously ride Dexter and work on our progress.  Instead it will be me riding a 20 meter circle stopping ever other circle to say “What?” because people forget when you are on a horse there is constant wind.   I start to feel bad as I imagine people are getting bored so I cut the ride shore before I’ve really re-centered myself.  The time I spend riding ist the time I get re-focused and re-energize.  I use it to erase all the petty thing s that happened that day (which can increase around the holidays) and direct all my energy to my equine partner.  Riding makes me a better, calmer person, but riding distracted, not so much.

I have no children, but imagine once I do this dilemma will be a daily occurrence instead of annually.  My husband is very supportive and honest about my riding.  He has no problem with the time I spend at the barn as long as I don’t drag him out there with me.  And that works for me.

So what do I do?  Seriously?  I know there are busier people out there who handle this kind of time commitment.. .what do I do?

Honestly… I’ll get over it.  I’m just having a moment of self-pity… poor Kelly can’t ride her horse for 4 days.

My parents came out yesterday and I rode as long as I could knowing it was getting colder and while I was  working up a sweat my Floridian parents were freezing. I know I’ll have to bring my brother and his wife out to meet Dexter and probably won’t ride then, just lots of pets and treats for Dexter.    I have the excuse that the barn owner is away so I at least have to come out once a day to check on him and feed him (and just sit and smell him for a minute).  Riding will probably be out, which sucks as I watch the days get shorted and colder knowing I will soon have to go weeks without.  But, I’ll live, Dexter will live and Sunday once everyone is dropped off at the airport me and Dexter have a date.  My husband will probably need a nap anyways.