Welcome to Edenview, where anything is possible with vision and a sense of humour.
I wrote and posted those words at the entrance of my barn within the first few days of moving my family of one husband, two kids, two cats, and thirteen horses, to our new home and epic adventure. Looking back it’s hard to believe that we survived the transition and I am 100% certain that no amount of mental gymnastics could have possibly prepared us for the journey that lay ahead.
I must admit that life before our move was pretty cozy. The house that my husband and I had built the year our first-born arrived was the envy of most. The five stall barn was small but had all the amenities of a much larger facility and in a pinch, most of my herd could be jammed in with the help of a little creativity. Probably the most telling tale of my overwhelming contentment was my husband’s growing realization that although I had promised to rejoin the work force once my youngest headed off to kindergarten, said child was on the verge of entering into high school and I was still, surprise, surprise, at home.
What to do, what to do?
It’s not like I’d sat around during those childhood years eating Bon Bons and watching TV. Certainly not! Over the years I had engaged in the usual house wifey money making schemes, but it certainly did nothing to help pay the bills or create a sense of inner fulfillment. For that I would have to think big, very big!
What I needed was a farm, a real farm. The ten acre hobby farm we owned then was only just big enough to squeeze a few of my horses, a couple of friends’ horses, and a handful of neighbourhood kids interested in learning about horses. As a life long equestrian, a part time coach, and enthusiastic trainer, it quickly became clear to me, as it tends to with all horse people at some point in their lives, that the solution to my problem could be summed up in one word: Supersize!
A full-fledged equestrian facility would surely provide some extra income, comfortably house all our horses, and it would definitely keep our kids occupied through those troublesome years. It was a win/win for everyone and that’s the story I’ve stuck to for the past six years.
Was it worth it? You bet!
Sure, there have been many moments over the past six years that have left me exasperated, frustrated, exhausted, overwhelmed, and longing nostalgically for that little ten acres of paradise. But truth be told, I’m having a blast! Coaching, training, and boarding horses has been a dream of mine for more years than I care to admit. The horses are happy and have lots and (I can’t stress this enough) lots of new friends. The family has mostly forgiven me and if you catch them on a good day when they think I’m out of earshot, they’ll probably even admit it! As for me, I would say that the sign on my barn sums it up quite nicely.
In riding, as in life: Vision, is the ability to aim for where you’d like to be. Humour, is the ability to enjoy the ride along the way.
