Rest Before the Next Ride

This morning started with too much dark chocolate for breakfast and $250 worth of wood shavings dumped in the barn. Horses are expensive. Life doesn’t stop asking. And honestly, neither do I—I’m always pushing, planning, stacking more on my plate.

That’s why today’s pull, the Four of Swords, hit different. It’s not about fire or hustle. It’s about pause. The kind of pause that says, “breathe, you’ve done enough for now.”

I don’t pull cards to see the future. I use them like a mirror. They help me reflect, sift through the noise, and face the parts of myself I’d rather ignore. That deep inner thinking—the shadow work—is what keeps me grounded.

And right now, the reminder is clear: rest is strategy, not weakness. Recovery is part of progress. If I don’t step back, I won’t have the energy to show up for the dirt, the lessons, or the rodeos.

So I’m giving myself permission to pause. To let silence be useful. To breathe deeper than my to-do list. To trust that stillness isn’t wasted time.

Because sometimes the bravest move isn’t going harder—it’s knowing when to stop.