Hi!! It’s been a hot sec, I know. 2022 was a year of massive change and growth for me, in all aspects of life.
Let’s rewind a bit to 2020, a devastating year for me as I unexpectedly lost my heart horse, Cheers, to colic. It was a pivotal moment in my equestrian life that forced me to take a deep look at my priorities and future. After many long, hard talks with my trainer, I decided to sell Quinn, my other horse, and buy Sadie, a homebred Oldenburg yearling. Having a baby horse would give me the time to work on my career, build some stability, and reset my relationship with horses a bit.
So began my step back from riding. I started my jewelry business, The Hunt Collection, in 2020, and my web design business, KH Creative Co. in 2021. It seemed like things were going great. I had consistent work, I was helping small businesses build their online presence, and I was still able to spend a good amount of time at the barn. But I was also spending late nights and weekends working (sometimes pulling all-nighters), I was always stressed about where the next client would come from, I wasn’t able to budget due to inconsistent income, and eventually became so, so burned out. I was in a full-blown panic and became terrified that I would be unqualified for any “real job” on paper. I don’t have a college degree, and everything I know has been self-taught or learned on the job.
Out of the blue, I got the opportunity to work at Disney, and as a lifelong fanatic, I knew I had to give it my all. Of course, my mind was flooded with thoughts that I would be letting people down, that I would be giving up on what I poured so much time, effort, and money into, and that I would be labeled a failure. But I know now that everything I’ve worked for has led me to where I am today.
I got the job, I closed my businesses, and life really changed from there. That opportunity led to another, and in September 2022 I started my new role in communications at Disney. I get to utilize so many skills I’ve developed from prior work while learning and growing every day.
I love my job, and working for Disney has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I am truly blessed. But it hasn’t come without sacrifice, and the biggest one has been my relationship with the equestrian community, my horse, my barn, and my sport. I’ve gained weight since I stopped riding on a regular basis and don’t feel comfortable in most of the riding clothes I own. Sometimes, I feel like I don’t spend enough time at the barn to even call myself an equestrian blogger anymore. Honest content has always been the most important thing to me, and I’ve been worried that posts would come across as disingenuous. A huge part of my identity has changed, and it’s been difficult to navigate. Paired with a lack of time and many new areas of life that demand focus, this blog has gathered some cobwebs over the last year.
I’ve thought a lot about the future of this blog, and though it crossed my mind, I’m not ready to give it up yet. So I pivot.
I pivot because I know there are more people out there like me, who used to live at the barn and all of a sudden find themselves feeling like an outsider. Whose riding took a back seat due to life, work, family, health, or finances.
With this shift in focus, I’ll be on the hunt for new ways to find joy in being an equestrian, even if you’re on a hiatus. I’ve got a ton of ideas and don’t know if this new content will resonate with anyone, or if I will even have the time…but I’m putting the intention out there (and that’s a big step for this Scorpio). I hope to forge a community of like-minded equestrians — because once an equestrian, always an equestrian. I’ll continue to post about my journey with Sadie and keep you updated on her progress. She has been in such great care and am blown away by how far she’s come.
Tomorrow, I’m set to fly to Dallas again to be a DMC Style Eye at AETA, and I’m really excited to visit with renewed focus and energy. I can’t wait to share what I find!
With love and gratitude,
Karina