A Year Later

It was one year ago. One kick to the knee started a series of events that have led to this moment. It was a reminder, a wake-up call, a call to action, and a humbling experience all wrapped up in a quick trip to the ER. In a moment, everything I had been working towards vanished and I was left with the question of, “Now what?” It sounds dramatic, but as a professional athlete having your knee damaged was a quick way to reconsider your life choices. So I did. I started thinking about what else I needed to do to be happy and healthy; I started focusing on yoga. I needed to get in my head and get out of my head. My body needed to heal and my soul needed to soften. I packed my bags and limped my way to a Yoga Teacher Training in Costa Rica. Many tears and yoga bootcamp later, I knew I had found the missing piece. My knee healed faster than it should have. I found a more grounded place to operate from. My clients ware happier, my horses are performing better, and I feel like I am able to bridge the gap between competition riding and personal development. I’m beyond grateful for the many opportunities that have developed from this. As I continue to integrate yoga into riding, the changes in my rider’s dispositions and body awareness is a constant source of inspiration. Traveling to teach OM Riding clinics has become one of my favorite past times and has led to other horse trainers beginning to teach yoga to their students as well! How amazing is that? Seeing people relax and become more present as they finish a yoga class, then carrying that forward into their riding... I can’t help but smile knowing that we are making a difference. Teaching a clinic to Pony Clubbers and watching young teens practice pranayama and slowing down their ADD minds is hard to describe. I am grateful for the experience. One year later, I am still learning and still growing OM Riding. There are a few projects in the works that I am exceptionally excited about and it is humbling to have so much support. I never thought I would be appreciative of getting kicked in the knee, but yet, I am. Imagine what another year will bring? (hopefully no more crutches...) Namaste