Thanksgiving is all about … giving thanks? What about visiting family? For those of us that keep our horses at home, we all know that no one will farm sit on Christmas and you have to see your relatives during one of the winter holidays, so Thanksgiving usually involves travel. Here what I am thankful for, as a result:

1. I am thankful that my boarding kennel has room for our three dogs – 2 Chihuahuas that need to go in the special “VIP” area because general population is too stressful and the fear of being killed by the inmates causes them to stop eating and 1 Greyhound/Great Dane mix that needs an oversized kennel. I am also thankful that I taught 900 extra lessons to pay for this, since the only things more expensive than horses are dogs (why do equine x-rays cost $60 when my dog’s are $150?!?!).

2. I am thankful that I have found multiple people to farm sit, so that I don’t have to worry that the barn will feel lonely without me and decide to combust. I have no actual proof, but I am certain that barns are just waiting to burn down the second you stop thinking about them on vacation.

3. I am thankful that my family lives relatively close. While my sister lives in Israel, she is kind enough to visit us in the U.S. during the holidays. Last Thanksgiving, my mom was living in London and it was a fun to travel there, but very far away. Having also travelled to Israel, I have it is even farther than London. This year, I will be traveling to the lovely (and close!) Rhode Island.

4. I am thankful that I have a husband, family and friends that understand that owning horses makes you crazy (both because you have to be crazy to get into this and once you are in, it makes you even crazier). Bless them for not killing me when I have taught 10 lessons, barely known what day it is and might not be using my “Little Miss Sunshine” voice. Wasn’t it Marilyn Monroe who said, “if you can’t deal with me at my worst, you don’t deserve me at my best.” Something tells me that Marilyn had a little more “best” to offer, because if a horse person said that to a loved one while they were helping with feeding at 4 am on the day of a flight to see relatives, they would probably get slapped.

I am sure I missed something, but these are my top four.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!