More often than not, when I go to the barn to see Tank these
days I just take him to graze while I read a magazine or simply watch him with
nothing particular in my mind. Even our riding has become languid in the
sweatbox that is Florida in September. I feel slightly guilty about this—after
all, shouldn’t we always be trying to do better, learn more, grow, progress?
Well, no.
There’s a time for pushing and learning and stepping outside
comfort zones, and there’s also a time for chilling out, for hanging together
with no agenda. For me, that time is late summer. I’m exhausted from nearly
four months of unrelenting heat and humidity and all I really want to do is
rest. And not sweat.
Surely Tank must appreciate a break as well. I make sure he
maintains a certain level of respect and manners, but he’s a good guy and a
mature horse. He does that almost automatically. I think he enjoys his work
overall, but even when you enjoy it, isn’t it nice to have a break?
So, yes, this is our fallow time. The time we spend doing
nothing, or perhaps having a water bath from the hose. The time for me to
listen to the cicadas, watch the dragonflies, smell hot horse. The time for him
to search for the most succulent grassy patches. No, I won’t feel guilty about
this after all. There will be plenty of time for games and longeing, for
practicing our jumping or lead changes, when it’s cooler and we both have more
energy. For now, we’ll roam the property looking for shady spots to graze,
walk up and down the dirt road looking at the cows, slurp down carrots and
bananas, and chill (as much as we can when it’s 95 degrees).
Why do we always feel like we have to accomplish something? Tick off a box or cross out an item on a to-do list? Do you allow yourself to have some “chillin’ time”? What do you do—or stop doing?
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| Tank's favorite way to chill |
