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September 21st is World Gratitude Day. 2020 has sent us through a whirl wind (and doesn’t seem to be slowing down), and it can seem hard to feel gratitude right now. Many of us have had canceled shows, trips, riding, training, and lessons due to COVID. At the beginning of the virus, some of us had to deal with boarding barns closing down to boarders. That meant no riding, no training, and no horses. I know many people that struggled not being able to see their horse for a prolonged period of time. Maybe the events of 2020 have not impacted you that much, but other factors in life have. Life as an adult can be tough to say the least. However, if we take a little bit of time and mental effort, I’m sure there are some things we all can show gratitude towards.

What is Gratitude?

Being grateful, thankful, or showing appreciation is gratitude. The most important word is appreciation. Appreciation means that you recognize or enjoy something good. Take a moment and think of one thing that is good with your riding, horse, or horsey friends. Gratitude is not just thinking or being thankful for something. Gratitude is also showing appreciation.

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." William Arthur Ward

Is there someone that has gone the extra mile for you or your horse? Does your horse get excellent care at your boarding facility? Does your husband wake up at 6:30 on his day off and come down to the barn to clean stalls? Tell that person how grateful you are. Show them that you are thankful for them. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. It can be as easy as saying, “thank you for …” Not into using words? How about buying someone a cup of coffee, doughnut, cookie or something else small? A small gift can really make a person feel appreciated.

Sometimes we don’t always feel like the care of our horses is the greatest at our boarding facility. People can get under our skin and fall short of our expectations. Try to think of one small thing that someone has done correctly. Find a small way to show that person you appreciate them.

"The way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement." Charles Schwab

 When I was an elementary teacher, we called this positive reinforcement. In some cases, you could take a student that acted out and get them to change their behaviors. Teachers would focus on one small thing that the student did right and show gratitude for it. The goal was to build upon the positive and sometimes it worked. Now, think of something positive that you can show gratitude towards with those people that fall short or tend to be difficult. Caring for horses can be an exhausting feat. If the caretakers are consistently getting beat down, they will give up. Show a little bit of appreciation for something they did correctly (no matter how small). For example, bring them a cup of coffee on a cold day with a note: “Thank you for feeding my horse every day.” Although that is service you pay for anyway, it is still a nice gesture and will make you feel good too. If you are looking to purchase a small gift of gratitude for someone, here are some horsey gifts that won’t break the bank. 

Small Gifts of Gratitude:

Book - “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse",” is a quick read. It has wonderful life lessons. I’ve bought this book several times for friends, and I just recently purchased it for my coffee table. https://amzn.to/3iA1COh

Scarf -https://amzn.to/3iq9oKu

Mug 1 - https://amzn.to/3iq9oKu

Mug 2 - https://amzn.to/2DRVmlN

Socks - https://amzn.to/35rwGvN

Chocolate Gift Box - https://amzn.to/3mclpoR

Still Having Trouble Feeling or Showing Gratitude?

Maybe your riding isn’t going well, or your horse is lame right now, or who knows what! But, these 1000+ lbs. beasts allow us to ride them. How crazy is that? Life can be messy and complicated, but if you are reading this, you probably ride or own a horse. Here is the reality: You are lucky. The fact that we are able to afford to be around horses is amazing. Most of us have our basic needs met. We have food, shelter, and clean water. We are able to focus on things like: Is my horse going to be cold without his blanket tonight? I wonder what kind of supplement would be best for my horse? There are many people in the world that don’t even live as well as our horses.

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." Robert Brault

 Try to think about your “little things.” Is it the cool autumn breeze blowing on your face as you sit atop your horse? Is it watching the sunset while you graze your horse after giving him a bath? If you take the time, you may be surprised to find how many things you can be grateful for and don’t forget to show that gratitude.

I’d love to hear what you are grateful for or how you are going to show your gratitude.