Changing Seasons
The drive to the barn looked a little different this morning , the sunrise just beginning to peak over the horizon. When we landed in Central Texas 3 months ago, my 7 am trek to the barn meant bright sunshine and 90+ degree temperatures. Then, mornings started out a cool 46 degrees and dark, dropping my son off for cross country practice in a parking lot lit only by red tail lights. When his season ended in late October, I pushed my rides a bit later in the morning. My life, in so many ways is still shaped by the changing seasons of motherhood and family life.
This Fall’s schedule has been a fortunate, although incredibly early, one. XC practice before school 4-5 times a week meant a 5:15 am wake up, school drop off at 6:45 and arriving at the barn at 7:30. I could work Elf and be home by 10:30. It made getting to the barn consistently a relatively simple thing because it was the first thing I did after dropping my son off at school. It also meant I had to get to bed pretty early so my evenings had to be streamlined.
It’s also meant that I was typically riding alone. At first, I found myself slow to actually get to work. We did a lot of walking, my plan for the ride sidelined by any resistance on Elf’s part. His work since his DDFT strain last September has been pretty limited to easy hacks after we finished his injury rehab. I wanted to feel really confident of his fitness. But, I’ve also gotten out of the habit of purposeful riding. And, really, that’s not completely a bad thing. I’ve enjoyed our early morning hacks and playing with canter circles when that’s the gait he offers most readily. It’s time, though, to pay a little closer attention to his muscling. To making sure that he is straight and supple. To making sure that I am effective as a rider in helping him travel correctly. As Elf gets older, I feel the impact of each ride is magnified.
After XC season, we shifted to a new schedule – one with slower mornings and a later start. I had big ideas about moving my writing to the 5 am quiet, making room for rides in the Fall sunshine and lunch with barn friends. Fall and Winter also bring the challenge of weather – mud, rain, footing concerns. There are orchestra concerts and jiu jitsu tournaments on the calendar. Holidays, too.
There was a time when I felt torn between the rhythms of my family life and motherhood and my riding. The feeling that I couldn’t do both, there was never enough time. I still have moments, here and there, of wishing I had a few more free weekends or could drop everything to travel to clinic or show. Most of the time, though, I can take a deep breath and just do the best I can.
Right now, that looks like hacks in dappled Fall sunshine, efficient 30 minute arena rides with one focus to work on, taking advantage of podcasts and youtube videos to keep learning in the school pick up line and very intentional calendar management.
And I’m good with that.
