A Cowgirl's Life

Cowgirls are facets of the American history landscape. From the famous Annie Oakley's of yesteryear, to the Charmayne James's of today, women have been on horseback for hundreds of years. They were always portrayed as hard-working, honest, successful women, although it's not at first glance apparent why. I've spent the majority of my life as a horse-riding, manure-shoveling working girl, and I wouldn't change it for the world.

Growing up in a horsey family, I've never known a life without the hard work of farm life. From the womb, the cowgirl way has been who I am, what I live by. Nothing is more satisfying than falling into bed utterly exhausted, but knowing that the physical hurt is the preaching of a day's worth of accomplishments. Waking up at the crack of dawn in the winter to crack 4 inches of ice from the waterers was commonplace from the time I was old enough to hold the shovel and pick. Shoveling and rebidding stalls became as routine for me as putting on my shoes. While other young girls were trying on makeup and giggling over boys, I was raising colts and breaking tomorrow's work prospects.

When I look back on all of the accomplishments I've made in my life, most of them revolve around an equine fancy of one sort or another. I've done everything from Reining and Barrel Racing to Halter and Showmanship. Hunter Under Saddle and Team Roping are events I'd compete in on the same day, with the same horse. It was an exceptional feeling to know what the 1200 pounds of horseflesh under me was entirely bred, raised and trained by myself, and I knew those horses better than I knew myself.

Growing up with such a high level of responsibility surely made in impact on my life in general. I'm well-accustomed to hard work, and I know with perseverance, a little skill and a lot of time, I can accomplish anything. My days on the back of a horse taught me how to be an adult, how to think for myself, how to care for others, and how to care about myself. Horses are a much more intelligent beast than people tend to give them credit for, and learning how to read them and think ahead has given me the foresight to look beyond the present moment, and plan my actions ahead of time. Horses and hard work have taught me that the more I put into life and the things I care about, the more I will get in return. The endless hours of love and devotion I poured into those massive creatures has been given back to me tenfold, and I'm beyond grateful for it.

Cowgirl up - I'm sure many of us have heard it, but can't really pin down what it means. Cowgirling up is much more than just a phrase, it's a lifestyle. Being a cowgirl isn't just some flashy fad. A real cowgirl spends hours of backbreaking work, in the blistering heat and freezing cold, caring for your livestock before you care for yourself. Being a cowgirl means giving of yourself, and getting more than you ever expected in return. I wouldn't have life any other way.