Today was the absolute final deadline for the December issue of In Stride. I have to admit that this was one of the most challenging issues I’ve faced, for a variety of reasons. I’ve found that deadlines sometimes develop personalities of their own, like horses. No matter how hard you try to rein them in and focus everything on that one set timeframe, they either jump the fence and gallop away shaking their heads in joy while you chase them fruitlessly, or they balk at the base and refuse to move forward, ignoring all of your cues.

While I worked on this issue, putting the places in piece, changing some things and adding others, I always returned to this photo, which made me smile. One of the reasons I enjoy editing a magazine is to communicate with people, to teach them something new, to entertain them with stories and to show them something memorable. Although December had its quirks, this image from the magazine reminded me of why I do what I do: I totally enjoy the process and working with people who love horses as much as I do. I feel fortunate to do what I do, and sometimes if I have to rope it in, well, that’s just part of the fun.