Horseback Lessons

At the end of seventh grade and the start of eighth grade, I made the decision to stop horseback riding on the weekdays in order to have more time for schoolwork. This was a challenging yet critical decision because both of these elements are important to me. I weighed the pros and cons of each possible option to help myself make the choice.
Horseback riding is a special activity that I participate in. Over the years, I have enjoyed going up to my barn, spending time with horses, and getting a break from stress. However, riding frequently on weekdays occupied hours of possible study time. I would have to drive to and from my barn, get ready, and ride. This took away two hours of time that could have been spent working on the never-ending pile of homework that always awaited me in my backpack. In contrast, my schoolwork is also very important to me. I certainly don’t savor doing several assignments in a row, studying for difficult tests, or panicking and stressing about school work. However, I realize that …show more content…
My opinion changed as I rapidly approached my last year of Wilmette Junior High. Rumors from former students circulated about the 8C homework load. If it was hard to balance homework and horseback riding in past years, it could only get worse. An important saying in my house is "homework takes priority." As the weeks went by, this saying spoke to me. More and more evidence pointed to stopping my riding on the weekdays. I understand that some kids can balance two, three, etc. activities and schoolwork all at the same time. Personally, this would be extremely difficult and I worried about what would happen if I didn’t complete my homework. One night of not completing your homework can set you off track the entire week. It was at this point that my decision was clear. It broke my heart to stop riding on the weekdays, even though I knew this was this was the right