"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it's about learning how to dance in the rain"

Saturday, November 5, 2011
Today was a long awaited day, the 2011 Blessing of the Hounds, marking the opening of foxhunting season in central Ohio.   After a year, I was finally ready to ride to hounds, with a group or riders, horses and hounds, who together, enjoy the sport of foxchasing.  It is about the ride and the chase.   It is a year round sport.  The hounds go out to hunt from late August through March and they are exercised and trained year round by staff.    To hunt, one must come as a guest or be a member of a registered hunt.     I have enjoyed four seasons of hunting.

However, on June 6, 2010, while riding along a soybean field, chasing the wind behind Liza, a draft cross, a pheasant flew up in front of my athletic and agile quarter horse.   His abrupt turn away from the monstrous bird  resulted in a spinal twist that initially seemed benign, however it left me progressively compromised with residual muscle, disk and nerve damage in my back. 

The journey to heal the injury was a challenging one, forcing me to change my modus operandi.  I had to slow down, get more help operating my boarding barn, pay attention to the mechanics of every activity. Activities that were routine and part of my daily chores  now caused pain and drained my energy.   Grocery shopping, unloading the car, moving laundry baskets, cleaning horse stalls, moving grain sacks, filling 5 gallon water buckets, exercising and caring for a 90# dog, even sitting for extended periods of time at work were all difficult tasks. Needless to say, I could no longer ride a horse.    Sending my horse to my daughter's equestrian program was the lowest point.  His empty stall a constant reminder of the loss.  In the quiet times created by the injury found time and opportunity to develop new ventures.    After a a year of physical therapy (de ja vu 1984)  the time arrived to begin anew with a return to having a horse of my own in the barn.  Connor would remain with my daughter  for now, and he  become a valued school horse for young riders.    Sunny, appropriately named,  arrived at my farm after being rescued from a farm in northern Ohio.  He is a ray of sunshine, has a gentle eye, good temperament, and a lovely nicker when he senses your presence.   He is  a balm for my soul.   Sunny was seriously injured shortly after he came to my farm  by the alpha male of the herd, requiring a month of stall rest,  daily wound irrigation and  medication, and a very slow progression in activity as he recovered.     Blessings come in disguise, as once again, horse and  rider had time to bond and build  strength and stamina.  My goal of riding by the formal opening of foxhunting season never wavered.

Riding in the 2011 opening hunt at Rocky Fork Headley Hunt was a special victory for me. It was perfect and  picturesque, with golden beech trees, sunshine, and mild temperatures.   Fifty five riders participated with a traditional luncheon following the ride.   It was a day to remember, to cherish and share with new and old friends.  I am very grateful.  
In retrospect, the journey from injury to riding again required alot of work, determination and it was chocked full of surprises.    One of my favorite quotes applies to the past year:    

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass, it's about learning how to dance in the rain".