A to Z Blogging Challenge Roundup of Reflections

The Mane Point has completed the April A to Z Blogging Challenge. What a wild and wonderful ride it was!

Like a long-distance trail ride or endurance race, the month-long blog event was both invigorating and trying. Certainly, some posts came easier than others.

 

But finishing counts!

Here’s what U.S. Supreme Court jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., said about completing a challenging race.

“The riders in a race do not stop when they reach the goal. 
There is a little finishing canter before coming to a standstill. 
There is time to hear the kind words of friends and say to oneself, 
‘The work is done.’”

And he was right.

A few days ago, I’ll Have Another won the 138^th Kentucky Derby. On the track, jockey-turned-newscaster Donna Brothers trotted up to interview the winning jockey.

''He's an amazing horse. I kept telling everybody, from the first time I met him, I knew he was the one. I knew he was good,'' chirped Mario Gutierrez, the jubilant jockey. Even then, the chestnut colt continued his post-race cool-down canter.

I’d be willing to bet that’s how it feels to finish any sort of race. The momentum doesn’t simply stop on the spot.

Maybe the Kentucky Derby winner’s name can inspire bloggers to keep on posting!

Who’s ready for more? Who wants to play along with the A to Z Blogging Challenge next year?

I’ll Have Another!

Nope, I didn’t pick that horse. Still, I love a good come-from-behind story. And he earned his mettle by winning the Santa Anita Derby in April.

But I did pick a bunch of winners for my April A to Z posts. Each day, I highlighted a special horse (or even two or three special equines) for the alphabetic posts. In the process, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with old friends and even growing to know new friends better.

I guess that makes us all winners, in a sense!

A to Z Blogging Challenge finishers: 

You are welcome to use this badge, 

created by Working in Words, 

if you wish. 

As a courtesy, 

please link back to Working in Words, 

if you do! 

Thank you.

.

Here’s the whole herd of featured horses, from A to Z!

• A to Z horses - Amazing Attalissa
• A to Z horses - Behold Blackjack & Bentley
• A to Z horses - Captivating Capt Han Solo+ and Cho...
• A to Z horses – Delightful Dolly
• A to Z horses – Expecting Exciting Entries
• A to Z horses – Finding Fancy and Following Frog
• A to Z horses – Gotta Love Guinness the Great
• A to Z horses – Halting Holdups with Hot Shot
• A to Z horses – Idaho the Initiator
• A to Z horses – Jazzy Jackson and Joyride Jetta
• A to Z horses – Knockout Koshari Flash and Kid-Fri...
• A to Z horses – Learning with Lukas
• A to Z horses – Mastering a Mare's Mystery with Ma...
• A to Z horses – Nickering at Naughty or Nice
• A to Z horses – Oh, Boy, It's Odee!
• A to Z horses – Peek In! It’s Peaches!
• A to Z horses – Queue Up for Querubim do Vouga
• A to Z horses – Running with Rio
• A to Z horses – Stop and Salute Scarlett and Her S...
• A to Z horses – Thunder Roars in Golden Years
• A to Z horses – Uncle Mo Unbridled
• A to Z horses – Visiting Venus
• A to Z horses – Working Western with Windy
• A to Z horses – Expression Extolled with Xiomaro B...
• A to Z horses – Yes! It's YS Tanjobi!
• A to Z horses – Zooming with Ziggy

How many different equine breeds and equestrian disciplines can you find in those 25 April posts? 

From Andalusians to Appaloosas, and from Baroque horses to barrel racers, I was attracted to an assortment! I hope my horse-loving readers feel the same way.

This year, I finished the April A to Z Challenge with six blogs.

• Heart of a Ready Writer – Bible and devotional writings
• Meme Express: Blog Prompts – blog topics and writing prompts
• Nickers and Ink: Poetry and Humor – poetry and humor
• Practically at Home – home and how-to’s
• The Mane Point: A Haven for Horse Lovers – horses and equestrian topics
• Working in Words – writing and publishing pointers

Image/s:  

A to Z April Challenge Survivor badge

 by co-host Jeremy

at Retro-Zombie – used by permission

Kentucky Derby winner

 I’ll Have Another

Pedigree photo – Fair Use

 A to Z 2012 Checkered Flag 
created by Linda Ann Nickerson
for Working in Words

A to Z Blogging Challenge 2012 logo

Fair Use

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