2015, it was great…

As  2016 quickly approaches, I can’t help but reflect on all of the firsts and lasts that 2015 brought to Ax and I.

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Not much happened in January other than snow, and we had a lot of it. We fought to keep our heads about the snow drifts while trying to ride and not freeze our bums off. This was also the beginning of the end of my college life—scary stuff.

February wasn’t much better. It was cold enough to prevent much riding except for the beginning of our Spring IHSA season. Did I mention that the “Spring” season began with a 16 hour show day in freezing temperatures? Oh, and Ax was a cover star on Heels Down Magazine.

IHSA was mostly what went on in March—I completed my IHSA career in Intermediate Fences and Open Flat with a seventh place ribbon in Intermediate Flat at Regionals. We had a few warmer days when we tried to convince ourselves that it was warm enough to ride in a sun shirt. It wasn’t. I also began my guest writing for The Legal Equestrian with my first post about “Dealing With The Resident ‘One-Upper’“.

April was much more active both in life and on my blog. I reflected on Ax’s progress—or lack there of,  tortured him with his first bath of the season, he had a then-potential child try him out as a lease prospect, and the college held a DeeDee Hopper Clinic that brought the reality of some of our issues to light. The month also brought IHSA Zones and Nationals for one of our beloved BCET riders who, frankly, kicked ass.

May was nothing but amazing. Senioritis kicked in for the last few weeks of college and I spent those weeks doing everything but school work. Friends and I went to a Red Sox game, I procrastinated packing but eventually moved out of my dorm, we went to multiple senior award ceremonies, and finally walked across that stage at GRADUATION! To top it off, Ax and I sped home in time for my old 4-H’s annual show for some summer fun because why not?

June moved Ax and I back to Martha’s Vineyard for our third and final summer of bliss—and some time to escape reality of needing to start being an adult. We had some of the best rides we have ever had and got out of the ring for some “cross-country” schooling (I use the term loosely as they were mostly logs and stone walls).

Ax’s summer child began leasing him in July and I got to watch the pair grow together over the next two months. We finally jumped out first 3′ fences together and continuously had impressive jump schools between working my butt off at the farm. Oh, and my boyfriend wrote a super cute post for this blog.

He was steal leased out in August and I was still working, so it was much of that same stuff as the last month. My boyfriend, roommate, and I adopted two of the cutest MeowMeows on the planet, Aquinnah and Zara. I left the island that month for the final time and it was one of my hardest goodbyes.

September brought me back to the mainland, back to reality, and back to blogging. I updated you all on what had happened in my life recently, I had my first article in Heels Down Magazine, I moved to Massachusetts with my boyfriend and a roommate plus our kitties, left Ax in New Hampshire, turned 22, and started my job at Equine Journal magazine. Hello, adulting!

October was long and slow. I was still horse-less since Ax was in another state and, while I could go visit him on weekends, he had taken on a mystery lameness and was basically on vacation until the end of the month when he was coming back into work—only walking. I was also getting accustom to my new job and balancing life as a real adult.

November came around and I found a barn for Ax where I was living so I finally had my horse back. I began slowly bringing him back into work after two months of being leased and then two months off (save for the one, maybe two, hacks he got a week). I was figuring out adulting, and I had my first trade show with my new job.

And finally, here we are in December. It is cold. It is busy. And Ax and I are surviving the Massachusetts life. We love the new barn we are at, I love my job, and I am beginning to accept the fact that I am no longer a college kid and that I have bills to pay. I may occasionally blow my pay check on concerts, trips to New York, or horse-y shopping sprees, but we are doing all right.

2015 had its ups and downs, as every year always does. But I think I have learned more about myself, my passions, and my riding this year than any other.

Here is to 2015—I won’t forget you but I won’t miss you.
Cheers to 2016—I can’t wait.

Happy New Year to all!
Love, Ax and TC