Well folks, it was almost exactly 2 months ago that I flew out of New Orleans with a newly repaired femur fracture; and I’m happy to report that today I will be headed back out on the road to meet up with my team! It’s been a long two month recovery, and it has not been easy, but I’m pleased that all my hard work has paid off and I’m feeling optimistic for the future!
A quick rundown as to where I stand (pun intended); at my last follow up visit, the radiographs showed my leg is healing extremely well, and there’s lots of callus forming around the break. The doctor gave me permission to return to light work and gave me to ok to ride again, although he did restrict me to a nice easy horse for a while, and nothing too vigorous for the time being. Which unfortunately means no jousting for a bit. Everyone seems to be very impressed with how quickly I’ve gotten back on the horse (more puns… sorry), and my therapist is especially surprised that only 8 weeks post op I was doing well enough to actually get on the horse. However, she told me I’m one of the few people who actually comes in 3 times a week throughout recovery, in addition to doing all the exercises they give and all the reps. See kids, hard work does pay off!
Just last week I was able to get on a horse again, and we had a smashing good ride. I’ll listen to the doctor to a point, but when you set me and my horse loose in thousands of acres of foothills, I will most definitely do more than just a “nice easy walk”. I’ve been riding every day I can get out, and have cantered through fields and up hills, jumped ditches, and spent hours in the saddle already. However, I will lament the fact that my riding muscles had all but disappeared and after my first ride back, I was left walking pretty bowlegged! I’m more than ready to get back on and continue training, but for all you mom’s out there, I will try to take it slow and listen to my body.
Being laid up for a while has given me plenty of time to think about everything, and up to this moment, I am happy to proclaim that I have absolutely no regrets. This surprises some people, because after sustaining an injury like mine, a lot of folks wouldn’t be inclined to head back out on the road and continue doing what I do. Something I’ve realized though is that horse people have a lot of pride, and can be very stubborn, and I fully attest to living up to those characteristics. I will never again get the chance to travel the country with an amazing team of horses and people, and it’s definitely worth sacrificing for. As a matter of fact, it’s a surprise it took me this long to actually get a bad injury from riding horses! I’d say that after 16 years, it was about time! Life is fleeting, and full of unexpected perils, and while I understand this, I refuse to sit idle out of fear of injury. Horses will always be a part of my life, and every time I get in the saddle, I accept this risk. Because gosh darn it, it’s just too much fun!
I look back on 2014 in review, and am more than pleased with how it turned out. With this being the beginning of a new year, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me. Last year, I was able to travel to Texas, Idaho, Ohio, New York, Minnesota, and Louisiana; and since most of my travel was driving, got to see so much more of the country. I’m also awed by the amount of new people I’ve met, and how great they’ve all been. I consider myself very blessed to be working with such an amazing team, and couldn’t be where I am without their support.
It’s hard to express the point of my life that I’m in right now, but it mostly flip flops between extreme comfort and happiness with my vagabond, gypsy lifestyle, and complete terror that I’m doing something wrong. Shouldn’t I have a full time, well paying job using my college education? Shouldn’t I be concerned with words like 401K and retirement? There’s a lot of fear sometimes that I’m doing something wrong, but then I just take a moment to stop and look at my life. I’m happy with what I’m doing. I’m learning so much about horses and improving my riding. I’m getting lots of “real life experience” (I really hate that term, isn’t all of life a real life experience?) and learning lots of practical skills, like how to live off an extremely tight budget and still have a good time. I have very few really big obligations or responsibilities at this time in my life, and have no need to rush and “settle down”. Thankfully, I am able to talk myself down when I have these little moments, and it makes me realize just how lucky I am to be experiencing all this.
I ran across a quote the other day that is going to be my life motto for the next year, “Not all who wander are lost”. Really, it doesn’t get much truer than that! So this year I’m going to take my time wandering, and not worry about being lost or being off the beaten path of society. I am ready to embrace what life may throw at me, and put my all into whatever that may be. I am also grateful that I have so many people to support me as I wander through life, especially my parents and close friends, because while they may offer advice (and sometimes it’s rather strong advice) at the end of the day, they always have my back.
So here’s to a 2015 full of adventure and wanderlust, for as we all know, it is better to take the road less traveled.
***UPDATE*** I wrote this on my flight to Florida on Monday, however am just now getting a chance to post in. I have successfully made it to Florida, and been reunited with my team. I’ve gotten to ride my big man Indy, and had tons of fun with my team. We are currently in Gainesville, FL performing this weekend, but will be on the road again come Monday. Now that I’m back, expect lots more posts! Much Love!
Reunited and it feels so good!
Lady of the Knight 
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