I've decided that horse people, specifically Barrel Racers, are not afraid of this virus. Honestly, it's probably the least risky thing we have to deal with.
We swing a leg over horses that have been sitting too long, full up on fresh green grass, alfalfa, and grain with every vitamin, mineral, and magic we can sprinkle in, and don't think twice about it. Hell, we probably even acknowledge how stupid of an idea it is. But we do it anyways. If that's not riskier to your life than a virus, I don't know what is!
We casually get into a confined box on wheels with a claustrophobic by nature, flight animal. Hell, we will put 5 more in with them. We go barreling down the highway at 70mph in a one ton truck, drinking coffee, eating on the fly, singing at the top of our lungs, making videos about 'barrel racer' life, and driving through the night to get to a race or rodeo. If that's not more risky to your life than a virus, I don't know what is.
We have cleaned out stalls/horse trailers, brushed off our muddy, poop covered horses, cleaned their feet, thrown hay, and then eaten food ourselves without little more than rinsing our hands in the horse's water bucket and wiping them off on our jeans... if that's not just as risky as a virus, I don't know what is.
If you've ever travelled with rodeo cowboys, hung out in a rodeo beer garden, used a porta-potty at a rodeo, you have already been exposed to far worse things that are riskier to your life than this virus.
Running a barrel horse full tilt on rodeo ground. On wet rodeo ground. On wet rodeo ground in an arena with a slight slope. Virus, danger, what??
It seems to me, as a general rule, most horse people believe in a higher power. After all, some of the stuff we survive can really only be explained by having been clearly saved by something bigger than we are. Some might call it luck. But the people who live this way, know you just can't be lucky that much. We live our daily lives taking so much risk, and we don't even realize it until hundreds of thousands of people freak out about something small. It's actually a big thing, but we don't seem to see it that way.
We live lives of high risk and know, something will kill us. We have actually been in some near death situations and made it through. That's why I think our faith is a little stronger than most. We already live with unpredictability and risk. We are comfortable with it. We respect it. We accept it. We happily coexist with it. Party on Wayne! Party on Garth!
It's just another one of those great life lessons we learn from horses. Here's something that can kill you. It has a mind of it's own. You can make suggestions but if a 1200lb animal decides to disagree, you will not win. They can be unpredictable and react dangerously. You do your best to reduce the risks but ultimately you learn to live with them and enjoy your life and horses around them.
It is not so different with viruses. They can kill you, they have a mind of their own (not really but kinda) you can try protect yourself but if it wants to attack you and has an opportunity, it will. They are unpredictable and dangerous. You can do you best to reduce the risks but ultimately you have to learn to live with them and enjoy your life around them.
A final thought that seems like the best saying for our current situation... wash your hands and say your prayers, because Jesus and germs are everywhere! Stay as safe as you see fit but live your lives! Party on, friends, party on!
