Flopportunities defined as a big flop that leads to learning opportunities.
I can’t take credit for that term, it actually a came from a Women’s Leadership newsletter I get! But the principle really applies to everything… as you reflect on the year, your successes and flopportunities, remember: It’s OK to talk about your mistakes.
I do that quite a bit here and with friends in real life. You will get tips and see things from another perspective if you talk about it. Expose your “Pinterest Fail.” Laugh and learn about what you could do better next time.
Reflection time
There are many things I wish had gone differently 2018. Starting out the year with the smack in the face that Prophecy was not rideable at such a young age was not the way I wanted to start out. But I was able to find a great place for retirement boarding where I know he is well taken care of, and then began my hunt for my next riding buddy. Some little bug hit me and I decided to look at other than just Arabians and found an off the track Standardbred as my perfect fit. Strength, stamina, endurance, a love of the trail, and easy going with a slightly goofy personality.
We started on our journey mid year, and yes I made some mistakes as you’ve read – but all have been learned from and we move on towards our 2019 rides…provided the weather breaks enough to do so and I get the truck back!!
December Holiday Fun
Just before Christmas I was finally able to get Sully back into the saddle and working in the ring on a dry day ( it had been 6 weeks)! A little windy, but he didn’t mind. We did mostly mental work/rework. Ground work to start, then a good 5min refresher on standing at the mounting block, then some walking about the ring – focused on NOT trying to head out to the gate! We got past that issue and he trotted around past it without a problem and called it a day.
Christmas day was a blast for the kids… The mess was worth the joy on their faces opening gifts and when they play with or create using them! Doug and I enjoyed our stuff too 🙂
Merry Christmas?? 
The aftermath 
Gypsy in lights
We got the truck back right before my winter vacation started after they found a loose wiring harness and drove it a few days with no alarms. Unfortunately that did not turn out the be the final issue and had to return it to the dealer as all the errors came back on the dash driving around looking at lights Christmas night.
Instead of getting to haul out for an early ride Wednesday as planned I took the truck back in, but I still went out to do more work with Sully on one of just a few dry days lately. I did some more work on the “no gate” thing, and the fact he’d rather gait/pace/something than Trot in the ring, but overall a good short workout then some hoof treatment to combat all this rain and mud 😛
Sully also enjoyed his last Magna Wave session with Sarah, as she is moving on to other pursuits outside the horse bodywork industry. He was backing much better after that session – there is no doubt in my mind from my experiences that PEMF helps horses. I will miss working with Sarah! We realized it has been 3.5 years now, on 3 different horses. She taught me quite a lot too on how to work on them myself and honing in on the problem areas. I wish her the best in her new endeavor and I’m sure she will be successful!
View through the ears 
I think they miss each other ❤ 
Working on the neck 
And on the loin/hips/SI area
Last Ride of 2018
I squeaked in a ride on Sunday – Saturday was just too sloppy after the rain gotten Friday but was 65 so figured maybe it would dry out a little and hoped for a ride around the farm with Amanda, but that wasn’t to be… just too much muck. So, I took to the ring one last time for the year …
View from the saddle 
Selfie with my Sweet Sully
Motoring Down the Trails 