What a Ride

Under the life is never boring heading, last week's stresses proved eventful through the weekend. Thinking daughter Kate was well on her way to Dillon, MT to  compete in the English Regional Riding Championships, I was comforted knowing she was on the mend.

That sense of bliss lasted about an hour before I got a call from a teammate telling me they were in a hospital Emergency Room in Dillon. Turns out the medication for the kidney infection was not cooperating with her stomach. Combined with a splitting headache due to the lingering effects of the previous week's spinal tap, I was beginning to second-guess the doctor's OK for her to go.

Thank God for good friends and teammates whom forfeited their morning classes to care for Kate. Mind you, this is the year-end championship for the region and all three were well into the points race, vying for a spot for the Zones competition in southern California in April.

Needless to say, Kate and I spent a few minutes discussing her common sense! Even thinking of getting on a horse (especially one she didn't know) was NOT going to be in the cards this weekend! She agreed and promised she would lay low. She spent the day laying flat in her Motel 8 hotel room knowing well her season was over.

Come Sunday morning, I received a text from her saying "I feel soooooooo good!" My best efforts could not keep her down and she headed to the arena 'just to watch'. Uh-huh. Let's just say I had a feeling said daughter's common sense had not yet recovered!

A few hours later I get another call, "Um, mom, you're gonna kill me". "WHAT?" I say. "Ummmm, I just took second place in my class and I won Regional Reserve Champion! I'm heading to California!" (site of the Zone championships.)

Chalk it up to gumption and guts (and a riding helmet that probably fits too tight, therefore restricting blood flow to the common sense lobe of the brain)!

My final comment on this matter: PLEASE take your health seriously. Then - "go get'em girl. I am so proud of you!"