Everyone needs a Dan

Horses are a wonderful lifestyle but there’s no denying that comes at a price both literal and metaphorical. I think we can all agree that we’ve had to turn down social occasions….if we even manage a social life. That we go without so are horses can have all they need. That we may turn down opportunities because we don’t have the time or there’s no one to look after them if you’re not around. It’s a price I am more than willing to pay and it is my choice at the end of the day.

So when I was given the opportunity to be medical lead for two weeks in Nevada, USA my first reaction is ‘oh, but can I do it’. For a few reasons, one I’d have to take unpaid leave from my full-time job, so could I afford that. Two, would someone be able to look after the horses while I was away and three, it’s out of my comfort zone and did I want to do it.

So I turned to the people whose opinions I trust, my family and Dan (my Fiance). Dan’s instant reaction was ‘I’ve got you, you can’t turn this down’. We worked out that he could cover the finances (most of which are solely horse related) and he agreed to look after 3 horses, one of which is stabled overnight, for two weeks. But even better than that, Dan and my brother, Will, believed that I could do it, that stepping out of my comfort zone is the best way to make that zone bigger and the best way to gain life experiences.

I am so grateful to have people in my life that push me, believe in me, and enable me to do what I want to do, that mean I can take opportunities when they arise and feel confident that everything else is taken care of. I know how lucky I am to have had this kind of support my whole life, and I just want them to know I don’t take that support for granted.

So this weeks video is how Dan fared looking after the horses while I was away working!