Dang ... Gas is up almost 20 cents per gallon from
it's peak highs of the last two summers. Hay is up almost 75 cents per bale from
last year. I am feeding my horse expensive Purina Ultium instead of 12 %
sweet feed. Shoeing has gone up $5.00 since two years ago. How
can we keep this up?
So instead of parking my rig, shooting my
horses, pawning my saddles and quitting going to rides, we are still playing
this year. Oh wait, that is the key word.. "Playing" Few of us make
our livelyhood from this sport. For the vast majority of us, Endurance
riding is a recreational sport done for personal enjoyment. It is not government
guarrenteed. I do not recall the part of the Consitution where easily affordable
play with your horse is covered.
So since Endurance riding is "playing", all I have
to determine what part of the familly budget can go to "play", and how much of
that is "endurance play". 25%? 50%? 100%? 140%???
I also am guided by the words of wisdom from that
personal motivational trainer, Angie McGhee. We are using her vice
replacement plan to move budget items from vices we don't do , to those
Endurance vices we do. Given the increase in our ride costs, this
year I had to increase my vices that I don't do from not drinking in fern bars
to not drinking and not paying for lap dances in fancy Strip Clubs like the ones
the NBA and NFL players hang out in. If costs go up this fall, I
will have to take the money I don't spend on crack cocaine and increase my
non-drug use to not main lining heroin. Sure it is a sacrifice
of sorts, but I am willing to go from not snorting stuff up my nose to not using
dirty needles if it keeps me on my horse. For my Tevis trip this year, I have
decided to give up collecting original DaVinci paintings and sculptures. Guess
we will just have to stick with Rembrandts for another year:)
The reason I keep on riding is because it more fun
than not riding. Instead of finding excuses on why we shouldn't go, I spend my
energy on finding ways to go.
Paul N. Sidio
Piper,..... who is worth every nickel we spend on
him, and knows it.
