Tuesday, November 14, 2017

on gratitude

We're approaching the season when many of us begin feeling more reflective of what all happened over the past year. Both in recapping and summarizing a calendar year's worth of events, and also in taking time to appreciate all the positives - big and small - that accompany our horse habits.

a charlie and a goose!
Last year was honestly tough for me in that regard. Like, obviously superficially it was easy to be grateful that I finally found what would hopefully be my future eventing partner in Charlie. And. Ya know. I also subsequently treated myself to the not-insignificant birthday present of a new Charlie-sized trailer, my dearly beloved Cotner.

But on a deeper level, I really wasn't eager to take any closer examination of 2016 as a whole. Any time I tried writing a reflection on the year, I got mired down in the spring and early summer when things fell apart with Isabel. Which reignited all those feelings of self doubt and insecurity and "what if?" Since I prefer to dwell on positives here, I just.... let that sleeping dog lie.

the pig makes it seem like charlie is looking at it instead of just weaving lol
The year before was something different, tho. Sure, it ended in disappointment with a clumsy misstep out of my trailer. But 2015 was otherwise an awesome year. So it was easy to indulge myself by reliving all those memories. Perhaps my favorite from that period full of recaps was the "feeling thankful" Thanksgiving video compilation of Isabel's and my best moments of 2015.

And now that I've had Charlie a full year, and now that he's got a full season of eventing under his belt, it felt like the perfect time to compile his own celebratory "Best Of" video!!

So... I went on ahead and did that haha. And maybe had a littttle too much fun while I was at it ;)


Originally I planned to post this around Thanksgiving, per the whole "gratitude" theme. But... Today is also my birthday and I realized that this is maybe the most satisfied and at peace I've felt on my birthday in recent history. I am grateful. So. You get the video today haha.

The video isn't meant to be a full progression of Charlie from start to finish -- rather it's just some favorite or memorable moments with him. And, honestly, not even all of them, at that. Because there are so many haha and I'm a media junkie/hoarder.

So... Mostly what made the cut are the clips encapsulating those almost out-of-body moments of, "Wow, we're really doing it. It's really happening. This is really it!" Starting with when Charlie really began figuring out his jumping, and when he proved he could be a solid show horse, and lots of examples of him making jumping feel like the best thing in the world ;)


I hope you enjoy it! And just in case any of you out there are likewise inclined, here's that 2015 compilation of Isabel's best moments too.

ok so i did actually get myself one real birthday present ;)
What do you think? Did I leave out any memorable Charlie moments that you think should have made the cut? (Tho I should point out: the blooper reel / outtakes video is coming next so maybe your favorite moments will be on that video instead?? lol....)

And how do you like to remember your favorite times with your horses? Will you be doing a recap post this year? Or maybe a compilation video too?

43 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday!!! Love that video! I generally do a recap post although I’m not feeling it much this year so we will see how it goes.

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    1. Thanks! And yea I def know that feel. Usually I just try to start writing (or more likely, collecting representative pictures haha) and see if I can build momentum that way. I hope you do end up writing a recap bc it would be great to see all that happened in one place!! ;)

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  2. Happy Birthday!! I hope you have a wonderful, fun, excellent day! :)

    I can't wait to watch the big guys star moments (can't at work). It's super to see him back in work too btw, he's looking good.

    And I don't blog, so no recaps so to speak, but I usually like to go through show photos this time of year to remember and do some fun things. But, this year was crappy competition wise. We finished 1.33 events and were dealing with issues most of the summer. I have zero motivation and am faced with the very real possibility that our competition days are done and our jumping days are numbered. So I feel you on that "I don't really want to think about it" mentality. But, happy thoughts for your birthday! I hope you get to see the big guy today!

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    1. thanks :) so far so good on it being a good day!

      and yea i hear ya on not really wanting to think over the past year as it relates to maybe some things coming to a close or end. it's just plain tough. and i'm sorry to hear that Duke had some issues over the summer tho hopefully he's doing well and happy in at least his flat work at present!

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    2. And those new boots look intriguing!!

      Thankfully he's completely happy and going very well on the flat right now. He's a little uh, fluffy right now with some extra hay weight so not in the best shape but mentally he's completely present :)

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    3. i'm really excited about the new (to me) boots! haven't trialed them on the horse yet but hopefully soon! and will naturally have more pictures / thoughts at that point. they're of a different style, material and construction than most of what's really trendy in boots right now but i'm hoping that'll actually work well for Charlie (the delicate flower who gets rubs from nothing, ugh).

      and glad to hear that about Duke. honestly being a little fluffy going into winter isn't the worst thing in the world, esp bc i'm a little worried this year won't be as mild as last.

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  3. Happy Birthday! I love recap posts though I never do them as I hate recapping myself...

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    1. thanks! and you should totally do one tho! it can be somewhat overwhelming to start, since there's sooooo much to go through and remember haha... but it's usually so worth it and the recap posts are some of my favorite the go back and read ;)

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  4. Happy birthday! The video is so fun, so many good moments with you and Charlie in the last year ☺️

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    1. thanks! so many fun moments to remember, and hopefully so many more to come!

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  5. Happy happy birthday! I'll let you do the recapping... you do it far better than me ;)

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    1. lol nonsense! you should totally do it! in a way i kinda see it as our opportunity to "curate" the past year and break it down into a more manageable (and palatable!) chunk for reminiscing later on down the road ;)

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  6. Happy Birthday! Those are both great videos. M

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  7. Happy Birthday! As sorry as I am about how things went with Isabel, I love that you have Charlie, the most awesome of horses.

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    1. thanks :) i'm really happy that i have him too, for many many reasons. isabel was an incredible partner and i would not be the rider or horse person i am today without those years with her. but charlie is very much *my* horse and it feels good <3

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  8. Happy birthday! What a tranforming year for Charlie!

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    1. thanks! i love that by the end of the video he looks so much like a "sport" horse instead of the scrawny-necked race horse he started as last winter lol

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  9. Love the videos, happy happy birthday!!

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  10. happy birthday!!!!!!

    how do 'human birthday presents' always end up looking like horse presents....

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    1. lol it's funny how that always works, right? ;)

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  11. Happy birthday and yay on all the media/compilations :) love it! I am grateful that I found all you to follow. Just makes my day every day. Keep on posting all! :) And Emma I love that your bday present last year was a trailer :)

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    1. aww ;) thanks! i'm likewise super grateful to have found all these awesome and inspiring bloggers haha - it's surprisingly rewarding to follow along! also, yea obvi who *doesn't* buy themselves a horse trailer for their birthday??? haha lol

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  12. I do love me a good blooper reel. Happy Birthday!!!

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    1. thanks haha - and i fully admit to making the blooper reel first and am reeeeeeally kinda excited about it lol. coming soon to a youtube near you!

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  13. Charlieeee <3 Happiest of birthdays to you, lady!

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  14. Aww I love it! Both Charlie and Iz's compilations. I haven't been able to read very far in the Isabel years - still trying to go back and reread since I came in this year with Charlie. And I very much understand. That was how I felt in 2015, just very depressed and sad, and feeling like the dreams I'd had were gone, I'd failed somehow and where the hell do I go from there. It was a tough year, so I totally get it.
    But you can still see Izzy, you have such a wonderful partner in Charlie this year, and I think next year you two will come back better than ever <3

    Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

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    1. aw thanks! and the izzy years were some good ones! i still have the draft of the 2016 recap i tried to write from last year that i might publish at some point anyway just out of nostalgia, but if you're curious for the overall full picture up til then, my "events" page has links to the 2015 and 2014 Year In Review posts (you just gotta scroll to those places in the chronology) that are pretty excellent summaries.

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  15. Eagerly awaiting the blooper reel!!!!

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    1. ohhhhhh boy but it's coming!!! i had a hard time picking the best moments for that one too.... there was so much source material LOL

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  16. You guys are awesome...but I'm strangely excited for the blooper reel. :)

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  17. Happy belated birthday! I love the video -- the progress is so cool to see, and you really get a sense for how much you bonded and grew your partnership together too

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  18. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Missed commenting here yesterday. I love the "best of" Charlie video and found myself grinning ear-to-ear right along with you! He is such a cool horse and so so good for you. :)

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  19. Happy Birthday! I love that you were able to put together such a fun video of your best of moments! I can't wait to see what 2018 has in store for you too:)

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