That feeling when…

I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to write for this month’s blog. In the last month I’ve moved my horses to Florida, gone horse shopping with a client, attempted to unpack and get organized, lost my grandfather to a terrible disease, tried to keep up with the riding and working for my dad in the office, and now I’m babysitting 10-week-old baby Brooks for Sinead Halpin and Tik Maynard so they can relax and compete at the Jockey Club 1 star and 2 star this weekend. To say the last month has been a whirlwind is an understatement!

I’m very used to having a million things going on and basically being a tornado, but this last month just seemed to hit a little harder. Maybe it’s my age 😉 maybe it’s just the specifics of the events that have happened. But, ultimately for me, moving south for the winter season represents a moment for me to catch up on my own riding and training my young horses after spending the last 7 months in Lexington building my teaching business—to do what I like to call “getting back to work.” Any time anything overwhelming or unexpected happens, or I feel like I’m getting a little off track, I tell myself to pick up all the pieces and get back to work.

I have loved every minute of expanding my business and all my wonderful students!! But, I’ve spent just as much of my life traveling to Florida for the winter to train as I have not: 17 years to be exact. (That’s a pretty serious habit lol.) I decided, with the competition season being over and the winter weather growing closer, that it was a good time for me to focus on my two lovely young horses—and to get my own butt kicked back into riding shape by my coaches!

The one thing that has brought me back to earth after the last few weeks was having JJ Jayhawk Sillman take a photo of two of the loves of my life, Peanut and Kenzo. Out together, fat, furry and full of mud, but so wonderfully happy together! Seeing that photo made me nostalgic. It gave me that feeling when you know you’ve earned this moment… that feeling that you’re so thankful you’re able to train the next set of horses in the lineup because of all those boys have taught you… that feeling when you can make someone else’s heart full just by allowing them to ride the creatures you spent countless hours on and poured countless buckets of blood, sweat and tears into developing. That feeling of winning even when you’re only at the beginning of the journey with the next generation.

I have some big goals for my young horses this spring, and I’m so excited to see what their future holds! My old guys are holding down the fort in Lexington… making me feel like it’s all worth it.

This post is sponsored by Lisa’s product pick for the month: Neigh-Lox® Advanced

“Neigh-Lox Advanced is my go-to choice of supplement for my horses that need added GI support. It maintains a healthy tract in both their front and hind gut. I have found that with maintained daily use it can help prevent ulcers from returning or needing recurrent expensive veterinary treatments!”

Lisa Barry, FEI 4* Event Rider and Trainer

Neigh-Lox® Advanced provides complete digestive support to reduce the incidence of ulcers and colic in horses that are traveling.

About Lisa:

Lisa Barry is a four-star event rider who has been riding and competing horses for 29 years, and has 16 years of international competition experience. Her horses have had top placings at many FEI events including at the Advanced/CCI3*/CCI4* level. Lisa has trained with Karen O’Connor for 25 years, and has worked for and ridden with Karen and David since she joined the O’Connor program as a working student when she was 17. Lisa competed at the 2015 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event aboard her beloved FIS Prince Charming, aka “Peanut,” a tiny, feisty New Zealand OTTB. Lisa is currently training and coaching out of Lexington, Kentucky and Ocala, Florida. If you have questions for Lisa or would like to learn more about her program email her at lisa@lisabarry.com