Rollercoastering

While I returned home late on friday night, I never really consider it "being home" until I have seen more that just my pets and my bed. So when I actually came home (aka went out to the barn the next morning to make sure my boys hadn't died from any field injuries or side effects from excessive rolling [Apollo!]) I was greeted by a lovely surprise from my to-be groom/awesome friend who rides Cory when Apollo and I are galavanting around the east coast, Emily Lehman. Emily is not only a young rider with incredible determination and natural talent but also an unbelievable artist in her free time (when she's not jumping 3'7" stuff on foot). She took the time to make me a picture of me (I assume it's me) jumping Apollo with MER Eventing painted around it. (excuse the bad photo of it. It is being framed right now so all I have is a cell phone pic of it) (did I mention that she's only 15?)

Why she thought it necessary to give me a present I have no idea (I'm hoping that she just got bored, and not that she has bad news like she's moving out of the state or something) but I thoroughly appreciate it. Especially since I just "created"/ named MER Eventing this year and the novelty of being at a level where I feel I have earned the ability to name my eventing career hasn't worn off yet and this is the first concrete proof of that.

The low of this post (hence the rollercoaster title) is that I just saw the news that Boyd's father passed away this weekend after getting hit by a truck while cycling last weekend. To know that while I was working for Boyd, Windurra was just starting to return to normal. After a successful weekend for Boyd at Surefire, he had to receive such terrible news seems just plain unfair. I do have faith however that Boyd will rise up from this tragedy stronger and more determined than ever. 

If there are two things I learned while in PA, they are to always remain calm and clear headed, and that no circumstances are unrecoverable.

So RIP Ross Martin, you sounded like nothing less than an incredible person