Horse Back Reflection

This activity is a big part of my life. I have always loved to ride and it something that has helped to make me more responsible. When I first started this activity I was half leasing a horse named Danny and I planned to show him and eventually own him. However these goals became impossible for me. Money and time became a large issue and I had to give Danny up. It was one of the hardest decision in my life, but the fact that I was able to make that choice because of me and my family really showed how I was growing as a person. This activity really helped me become more responsible since I was taking care of a horse. Even when I gave up the lease, I was now using other peoples horses which also made it so I also needed to be very very responsible. Being at the barn always presents challenges. Ridding is one of the most difficult sports I have ever done, and trying to learn dressage has presented me with more challenges then I ever would have imagined on and off the horse. A horse has a mind of its own and when your ridding it can present many different scary issues. However I have progressed throughout the years and I now have so much confidence when I ride that when my horse starts to misbehave i laugh the majority of the time. Also ridding takes up a large amount of time, which can be frustrating when it comes to balancing it with work and school. For example when I gave up Danny I questioned if I wanted to give up ridding in general, if it was going to be to much for me. However I stuck with it, and I am glad I did. I am still ridding even though CAS is over, and I will be until I leave for college. However this summer I will go and ride Training level tests. The goal that I set for myself to ride a first level test was defiantly to high now that I am not ridding Danny. However, if I still was the situation may have been different. I had difficulties with time and scheduling from being sick and school. However I have been making up lessons and when IB exams are over I will have a lot more free time. I was able to benefit others, especially my friend Ellie. Ellie has hurt her knee and cannot ride so there has been many times that I have ridden her horse to help her out. This activity had made me learn about the importance of time management and made me so much more of a responsible person.