Last updated on November 12, 2024

Rough Year? 5 Ways to Keep a Thankful Heart This Holiday Season

One thing about this time of year in the performance horse industry is if you had a fantastic year, it shows. Or it can be painfully obvious if you haven’t. Which honestly, can skew your attitude heading into the season of joy and gratitude. We are obviously proponents of working hard, doing our best, and creating a winning legacy. But, even if the chips didn’t fall your way this year (or last year) there are still SO many reasons to have a thankful heart as a horse owner.

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6 Practical Tips to Maintain a Thankful Heart During the Holidays

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines gratitude as “the state of being grateful: thankfulness.” Well duh, right? We all know what gratitude is and what it feels like, but it’s easy to lose sight of it in this fast-paced, cutthroat world. These 6 small steps will help keep thankfulness more at the top of your emotions, and not as overshadowed by the stress and ambition of day-to-day life.

1. Make Gratitude a Regular Part of Your Day

Recognizing the good things in your life, no matter how small, trains your brain to focus more on the positives than the negatives. There are several ways to incorporate gratitude into your life, so pick whichever works best for you! Some ideas are:

Creating a gratitude journal and writing in it every day
Saying what you’re thankful for out loud when you recognize it
Sending a prayer of thanks up before a meal or after a long day

2. Remember: Not Everyone is Able to Own Horses

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A study published in 2023 by the American Horse Council Foundation showed that while only 1.3% of American households own horses, 30% of households have a horse enthusiast and/or an equine sports spectator. So while you might be dreading morning chores in the bitter cold tomorrow, or are frustrated with your last run time, try to remember that you are living a life others only dream of. There is a little kid out there wishing with their whole heart to learn how to ride, and you can just go out to the barn, jump on your favorite horse, and take off. Yes, being a horse owner is hard work, expensive, and mentally exhausting. But it’s also a life you’ve been blessed with.

3. Use Your Horse for Therapy

We touched on the therapeutic benefits of owning horses several months back in the blog, “Are There Any Psychological Benefits to Owning a Horse?” But it bears repeating: horses can be incredibly healing for the weary mind, body, or soul. Just working with horses has been shown to lower anxiety, balance blood pressure, and promote a better mood. Try to spend some good bonding time with your horse outside of the arena…grooming, a leisurely trail ride, or even just barn chats are low-stress ways to connect and get the endorphins flowing. Looking into those deep eyes will remind you why you’re part of this world in the first place.

4. Focus on Cheering for Other People

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Sometimes turning your attention from your hardships to someone else’s success can be a fantastic perspective shift. While you cheer loudly for them, it can heal the disappointed part of your heart. Willingly showing up for other people will open the door for them to show up for you, too! It fosters a great sense of community, camaraderie, and the support that we all need…whether we’re having a tough year or not.

5. Learn to Enjoy Learning!

Alright so…this competition season didn’t turn out exactly as you had hoped. Now it’s time to dig deep, figure out what went wrong, and learn from it! Sign up for a new clinic in the area where you need more help, pay for a few sessions with a trainer for your horse, or ask a seasoned mentor to review your videos and give some pointers. Never be afraid to ask questions and continue your growth as a rider, horse owner, and person!

If nothing else, maybe you can be thankful that your not-so-profitable horse business can be a tax write-off!
*Important note: we are NOT tax experts. Please, please, please consult with your CPA or other trusted tax expert.

Leave 2024 and Enter 2025 With a Thankful Heart

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Whether or not you finished this competition with new trophies and buckles, or nothing but wounded pride and some life lessons, we could all stand to add a little gratitude into our lives. Having a thankful heart makes navigating all the ups and downs of life and horse ownership just a little bit easier. It allows you to see around all the “bad” and focus mostly on the “good.” Because there is always, always, something good to be thankful for.

All of us at Animal Element are wishing you and your loved ones a Happy Thanksgiving, and a happy holiday season full of gratitude, joy, love, and laughter. Now’s the time to leave the outside world alone for a bit, and focus on all the beautiful things around us in our homes and families. God Bless.