cowgirl_3207 - 2015-07-29 7:15 PM
azsun - 2015-07-29 4:51 PM
Just my suggestion … sit her down and tell her you understand she's heartbroken and sad that she can't compete. Also explain that sometimes things happen to us that we have no control over and that don't seem fair, but that's a part of life. Then, I suggest you tell her that you are a team and when one is having a set back it's up to the other to keep things moving. Remind her that horses still need to be exercised and entered on to remain "sharp". Then tell her as part of the team, your willing to enter on her horse (if possible) once in a while, so he's ready for her return and she can help you by being responsible for to video the runs, writing down times, things like that. Give her an important job that keeps her included. Have her watch training DVDs … Dena Kirkpatrick or whomever and write down ideas she things she needs to think about. So much of barrel racing and riding is mental … have her "study" riding techniques like she already does.
Good ideas! I will try some of these. We have actually been working on getting one of the geldings ready for her to move up to. A little earlier when we were out watering and soaking are overly HOT horses down, I talked to her about how I think it would be a good idea if I start working with him that way they will BOTH be ready to go on with once she is healed up. She seemed sort of alright with that. She is worried about her pony not getting ridden, she keeps him pretty legged up or he gets lazy.
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