January 2, 2026: A New Year, Same Horse

The start of a new year always feels like a reset. Fresh calendars, fresh goals, and the quiet hope that maybe this will be the year we get everything exactly right.

Horse ownership laughs gently at that idea.

There are no clean slates in the barn. Horses still need to be fed. Water checked. Hooves picked. Grain measured. Supplements added. Weather considered. Feelings managed. Mostly mine. Sometimes Bee’s.

Last year I thought I had competition goals - go to a play day and run a barrel pattern and see how fast we could do it. While that might still happen, this year my focus is on becoming a better all-around rider for Bee. One of our goals for the year is lessons with the barn’s resident western instructor, Sarah. Not because I want to compete in western pleasure or some other discipline, but because I want to be able to give Bee a solid, correct workout that keeps her fit, balanced, and feeling good. Maintaining her girlish figure, as I like to call it, is going to take more than wandering around the property and calling it exercise.

That probably means learning how to truly cowgirl with split reins instead of the shorter barrel reins we are used to. It may also mean experimenting with different hardware and tack to find what supports both of us best as we grow.

Another big focus this year is desensitizing. We already do some of it, but I want to be more intentional. When something surprises or scares Bee, my goal is for her to pause and investigate instead of flinching. She has never bolted or reared, thank goodness, but her flinch game is strong, and some reactions are bigger than others. Confidence comes from repetition and trust, and that is something we can build together.

The third goal is obstacle work. I want to know that wherever I point Bee, she will go. That might mean through water, which is currently back to a hard no. Those of you that have been along for this ride since the beginning will recall we had some success at walking over the tiny creek that ran through the Ponderosa. Desensitization could mean over a bridge, across uneven ground, seeing longhorns or other wildlife unexpectedly or something as easy as stepping over something unexpected like a fallen branch on a trail ride. Not because it looks impressive, but because it matters for safety, trust, and partnership.

If last year taught me anything, it is that progress with horses rarely comes in dramatic moments. It shows up in small wins. A softer response. A calmer step forward. A hesitation worked through instead of avoided.

So we start this year the same way we start most days. With gratitude. With curiosity. And with a horse who keeps me honest, humble, and learning every single time I swing a leg over.

Here’s to another year of lessons, laughter, and figuring it out together.

Until next time,
Christina & Bee 🐝💛