If there is one thing I have learned this past year, it is that life is predictably unpredictable! When I “play back the tape” on 2023, I see a tumultuous time of blissful highs and devastating lows. As I greet the end of what was quite possibly the most challenging year of my life so far—especially my business life—I do so with gratitude for how we were able to navigate the challenges, celebrate an amazing set of accomplishments, learn to solve problems on the fly and work together in deeply touching solidarity. Overall, I’m extremely proud of how far we’ve come this year as a facility and community.
When I look back on 2023, I’ll always remember the challenges of extreme weather that started the year in an epic freeze that taught our hardworking (and thankfully onsite!) barn crew how to improvise, problem-solve, and make sure the horses had water, food, and excellent care in day-after-day of frozen pipes and subzero weather like Texas has rarely seen. Then the opposite extreme came with a summer of record-setting heat that had us monitoring, rinsing, and providing special care to our horses daily and providing heat-busting (and vet-approved) treatments, including “beer to the horses” in addition to night turnout during the hot summer months to give our horses a break from the searing daytime heat and flies with plenty of extra time to enjoy stretching their legs in our rolling 55-acre turnout pasture.
We faced many other “predictably unpredictable” challenges this past year. I’m proud of the tenacity and resilience of our barn crew, our boarders, and all others who showed up, helped, and lent their kindness, expertise, and moral support. We are stronger as a community because of the people who call 4Hearts Ranch their “Happy Place.”
When I look back on 2023, I will always remember some incredible highs: largely completing the renovations and updates of all of the barns, pastures, fencing, and runs throughout the property. It’s exciting to know that the huge job of updating a property that came with substantial deferred maintenance is largely done! (Check out our before and after images here!)
I will also never forget the low of the fire in barn three that burned roughly 25 percent of the interior of that structure. Thankfully, the horses were turned out at the time, and our automatic waterers (that are also now in every barn, paddock, and pasture) took a second shift as fire sprinklers and doused the blaze before it got completely out of hand. I’m also incredibly proud of how fast we were able to clean up the fire damage and make repairs to the fire-damaged areas—in addition to fast-tracking the renovation of the entire barn with cleaning, painting, and updating the tack room as well as rebuilding several runs that were previously removed.
Standing now on the threshold of a new year, our hearts are filled with gratitude for the trust bestowed upon us and the many blessings we have to celebrate today and every day.
Embracing the spirit of adaptability in the face of unpredictability. Here’s to realistic resolutions, heartwarming resilience, and cherishing life in the New Year.
