Sport vs. Hobby

“There are riders who make it happen, riders who watch it happen,
and riders who wonder what happened.”

—

Jim Wofford

I think that there is a bit of a distinction between people who are involved with horses as a sport, and people who are involved with horses as a hobby. I know many people who fall into both categories, but probably more who fall into the hobby category.

Currently, I fall into the hobby category. I think I always really have, but over the past few years it's been a now and then hobby instead of a serious one. Sometimes, things get in the way of me devoting more time. Life - working, school, spending the odd day with loved ones. But sometimes I just don't make enough of an effort.

Now, there's nothing wrong with this. Except for that fact that it's not exactly what I want.

You see, I want to be the person who falls into both categories. I will always be involved with horses to some extent, because I genuinely enjoy them, as animals. That's the hobby part. But I also strive to be competitive, and get a thrill out of nailing a good course. When I daydream, I daydream about executing a perfect jump off, and I can get myself pretty worked up about said daydream (especially if there's a good jam playing, haha). That's the sport part.

The thing is, I haven't applied myself in a way that would enable me to enter this sport domain that I am so fond of imagining. Which is without a doubt, 100% on me. My actions do not match my desires.

I've been a bit bummed about summer lately, because I've discovered that there is no way around me working 6 days a week. I'm trying to get a Mon-Fri work term within industry for experience, and I have to work at my current job on Saturdays so... well, so I can keep it, 'cause I kinda need it. Given my grandoise plans of riding all the horses (ALL THE HORSES!) over the summer, this kinda puts a kink in it.

But last night, I decided that it's not a big deal. More than that, I decided that working Saturdays justifies me going to the barn 4-6 times a week. Since my barn is an hour away, I have to factor in gas money... and as a broke student, it's not always possible for me to go out as frequently as I'd like. However, I did the math, and working every Saturday will pay for my barn gas money. Now instead of dreading working Saturdays, I have effectively convinced myself that it is a good thing, because it is paving my way to the barn (almost literally).

Time to kick it into sport gear.*



*when I'm done being lambasted by school work in two months