Weigh-in day has become a big event at my house. Each week I’ve watched the number on the scale drop. The number has been anywhere from a miniscule 2 pounds to an astounding 8 pounds the first week, but the trend has always been down.
So even when I feel like I’m starving and can’t force any more broccoli, chicken, or eggs down my throat, I continue because I know the reward will come at weigh-in day. As I’m slowly jogging (and walking) up and down my driveway I revel in the thought of how much faster my pony will run with my lithe, lighter body. When I do my pilates and my core is on fire, I imagine being able stay centered on my horse no matter which move he makes.
So you can imagine my disappointment two weigh-ins ago when the scale actually showed I had gone UP a pound. Quickly I squashed the negative thinking—maybe I just ate something salty and retained water, or maybe I ate too late. I moved on, and continued to do “right.”
I plan to share more of what happens in Cinco’s daily life, so next week I’ll talk about his other career trajectory. He seems to believe he’s too pretty to be a rope horse.
Then it happened again this past Sunday. The mental anguish I felt was intense. I’ve done everything correctly. I’m on a deadline. I can’t have a setback like this! I imagine you’ve had times in your life you’ve felt this way, too. Maybe it’s not your weight. Maybe it’s your finances or a project at your job. Maybe it’s your children or planning for your future. You probably feel it’s too overwhelming and you can’t make any headway.
Or maybe I’m projecting.
I’ve realized that I’ve had many moments like that with my horse. I ride Cinco almost every day and he is in top shape; he is well acquainted with our veterinarians, chiropractors, and farrier. He gets the best feed and hay and is pampered with treats daily. I’ve worked hard on my mental game by taking advice from the many great riders I know. I exercise and eat healthy.
I’m doing everything I can to do right. We’ve had some nice runs, but they’re still punctuated by hit barrels, bad timing, and intimidation. Why?
I believe we’ve all had moments where we get tunnel vision. That one goal or dream we have consumes us so much that we forget to take pride in the smaller accomplishments. Please don’t get me wrong—I think it’s important to know exactly what you want and have a passion for achieving it. Just don’t let the disappointment because of the time it takes to get there discourage you.
I went to Denton again, and managed to hit all three barrels. Oy vey! If I look for the positive, that meant we definitely didn’t run past the first this time.
This photo was taken on October 2 at the Diamond T Arena in Denton, Texas. We were first in the 4D, but I like having progress pictures of Cinco so I had to buy it. Photo by Jo Haigwood.
Last night I ran at another jackpot in Collinsville, Texas. I had another downed first barrel, but we had a solid 1D time in tough competition. Super cool!
Last week I lost both my stirrups around the first barrel, and never got them back the whole run. We still managed to run right in the middle of the 2D, and I didn’t fall off. My only real issue with that night is that I thought I was passed the timer and started to pull him up. I was pretty disappointed when I looked up to see my time and saw the clock still running. Rookie mistake…
As for my weight loss (or lack of), my scale shows my body fat percentage has gone down by 2 percent. I’m shrinking out of jeans slowly but surely. I may not be the size I want to be, but I’m getting there.
If you know you’re making the right choices, keep making them. Keep doing the things you know will help you improve and get closer to your goal. Don’t give up on what you want, even if it’s taking longer than you want to get it.
I’m reminded of this quote from War and Peace author Leo Tolstoy. “Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow – that is patience. The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.”
Until next time…
-S
While scrolling through Instagram, this image caught my eye. It inspired today’s blog, and I wish everyone gets their plot twist. Photo credit Instagram
Quotable Quotes
You may have noticed that I like to share quotes and enjoy the nuggets of wisdom that come from people far more accomplished than I. If you were to look at my “About Me” on my Facebook page, you’d see some of my favorites.
“Forsan miseros meliora sequentur” roughly translates to “For those in misery, perhaps better things will follow.” During my roughest days I remember that these bad moments will pass, and remembering that gives me power to go on.
Along the same lines, I love how encouraging the Bible passage John 16:33 is. “I have told you these things, so that in my you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
You’ll also find the following on my page.
“Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them-a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.” Muhammad Ali
Words are amazing, and is one of the reasons I love the job I have. It seems I’m in good company. World Champion barrel racer Sherry Cervi wrote a great column for Barrel Horse News in the August 2014 issue titled The Power of Words. Enjoy!
https://www.barrelhorsenews.com/articles/rodeo/4143-the-power-of-words
Savannah and Paul.
About Savannah
Savannah Magoteaux grew up in a rodeo family. Her mother, Cheryl Cody, is a former Professional Women’s Rodeo Association Barrel Racing Champion and has won more than $40,000 with her current mount Bet This Is A Shiner. Savannah’s father, Jeff Magoteaux, was an International Professional Rodeo Association World Champion Calf Roper.
After college at Oklahoma State University, Savannah worked for Pro Management, Inc., where she was the media and sponsor coordinator. Clients included the National Reining Breeders Classic, the National Reined Cow Horse Association, the Tulsa Reining Classic, Wide World of Horses, Rein In Cancer, and more. In her spare time she penned articles for Barrel Horse News and Quarter Horse News.
She moved to Texas in 2012 to be the associate publisher of Barrel Horse News. In 2016, Savannah took the same title for sister publication Quarter Horse News.
Currently, Savannah splits her time between her homes in Pilot Point, Texas, and Stratford, Oklahoma. She and her boyfriend Paul compete in team roping and enjoy golfing and cooking with friends. She makes the round trip between Texas and Oklahoma every weekend with her 10-year-old Corgi, Radar.
“What Do We Do Now?” is a blog series written by BHN‘s associate publisher Savannah Magoteaux, managing editor Kailey Sullins and associate editor Blanche Schaefer, where they discuss the struggles, joys, and rewards of training young barrel prospects as amateurs juggling full-time jobs, all from a real-life perspective. Read more at barrelhorsenews.comunder the “Blogs” tab.
