 Go For It!
   
Location: Texas | Taken from our facebook page...
FEEDING THE ADDICTION... If you are married to a barrel racer, the significant other of a barrel racer, the child of a barrel racer, the parent of a barrel racer, etc. you are going to be yelling "Amen!" throughout this post. Let me start by saying that no one knows a barrel racing addict better than a barrel racing addict, so I (as well as my husband and children) can attest that my words come from experience. No matter what level you compete at, you can still become an addict. We are a peculiar people. We will spend thousands and thousands of dollars on trucks, trailers, tack, horses, vet bills, feed, hay, fuel, entry fees... but we will gripe about our significant other spending money on a new ______... you can fill in that blank yourself. You know what I mean. No one else has a hobby as important as ours. If they spend too much on their stuff we might not have the money to enter on Saturday! And Lord help you if you decide for one instant that WE spend too much money. After all, you want us to win, don't you? We can't do good if we don't have all the crap, oops, I mean "tools" to do our job. I just know that if I get this new saddle, pad, bit, lucky shirt... it's going to be the missing link and I am going to magically begin to win! And if you can't be supportive of what I want to do then I'm just going to quit! I'm going to sell everything! That way YOU'RE happy!
How many times have we heard that scenario played out? We can all laugh and have fun with who we are, but the truth is that... I have said it before and I will say it again... We need to keep things in perspective. I am the world's worst about jumping from one extreme to another. There was a time when barrel racing dominated my every thought. It caused arguments with my husband, made me miss out on things with my family. It simply controlled my life. I was a true addict. It prompted me to make irresponsible financial decisions as well as a host of other issues. It has taken me many years to overcome the addiction part of barrel racing. I'm not totally cured, I will always be a barrel racing addict, but I can safely say that I have things under control these days. When I have those weak moments, it is easier to talk myself through them now. I just tell myself... "I do not need another horse!" "Just because they are having a barrel race today does not mean I have be there, there will be more barrel races, having a new grand-baby hit the ground is kind of an important day." "There isn't enough bute in Texas to get him sound by Saturday, just stay home!"
Y'all get my drift, wink emoticon Have a blessed day everyone and remember "He" is always #1.
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