Shaylee Taylor

Sensitive
Happy
Athletic
Young
Loving
Exciting
Energetic
Tall.....(not)
Attractive
Youthful
Lovable
Outstanding
Really really super awesome

basketball

yesterday i had to quit the basketball team. it about killed me. i never thought i would see the day i wouldn't play basketball anymore. but it was either choosing something i liked over what i loved or choosing what i loved over what i liked. i have the same conflict every year, basketball tryouts are the same time as the last few rodeos of the fall season. every year that i have been playing basketball i have chosen what i liked over what i loved. this year, i made a change. im sticking with just rodeo, nothing else. rodeo has been in my blood. i put it in there. its what i love doing and its what i can't live without. basketball was great thou.... feeling like a part of a team is a great feeling. but it isn't greater than winning a buckle or a saddle. im going to practice all winter to get ready for spring rodeos. im going to give it all that i have. all i want to do is make my dad proud..... and i feel like i can't do that if im not winning. this spring will be a big change in my life.... for i will be better than i ever have.

The Goat Run

The summer sun beat down on me. I could feel the pounding of my horse's heart beneath my saddle. We walked into the humid arena as the announcer yelled my name over the loud speaker. I felt her fight the bit in the reins of my hands as I held her back. she shifted all of her weight to her hind legs and pranced on her front hooves.

The judge swung the gate open and invited me in. I looked down at the long arena, bit down hard on the string in my mouth, kicked my horse forward, and we jolted through the gate. Her feet pounding beneath me became faster and faster. The butterflies in the bottom of my stomach moved to the top of my throat. I kicked my right foot free of the stirrup and swung my leg around. I hung off the side of my horse, my right leg almost skimming the ground.

Without warning, my horse dug her hocks deep into the ground, dropping her butt. My right foot hit the ground hard and as I tried to save my balance, she cut in sharp at me and stepped on my left foot. With her on my foot it stopped all my momentum. I flung forward face first and landed in the dirt. My upper body skidded across the ground as my legs came up and hit the back of my head, filling my pants with the cold dirt. Pain shot through my foot as I ran up the line to the goat. I grabbed the goats front legs, reached all the way around to his opposite flank, and flipped him upside down. I slammed him to the ground and his legs gathered together in my lap as i sat on him. I ripped the end of the string out from the my back belt loop of my pants and tied hid legs together. I put my arms out to say that i was finished and the judge dropped the flag finishing my time. I stood up off the goat and it lay there motionless. I waited six seconds before I reached down and untied him. The announcer yelled my time over the speaker as i limped out of the arena.

All the adrenaline that I had had made the pain in my foot disappear. Now that my mind was off my run and on my foot the pain became real. I slowly walked to my trailer and slid my boot and sock off. Right there on the bridge of my ankle was a perfect curved hoof mark.

Rodeo is just what i do. Its my way of living life. besides family and being apart of the mormon church, its the best thing in my life. Not only do i love to do it, but i love to write about it.