Being single?

12.15.21

  Well, it is Official!  I am legally divorced.  It's been long enough coming but finally, at long last, I'm single again.  Yes- I'm OLD too... How on earth does one DO this thing again??

  This is something I never thought I'd be saying again but here I am:  single. Do I like this feeling?  After a few days of living with it, I am Liking this Just Fine.

I'm my own boss once again, I can come and go as I please ( without fear of being questioned about where I'm going, who I'm going to talk to, and so many others-- Ugh) Happily, I haven't a problem living alone. There are some women who quite simply cannot. Having always been alright with it, there wasn't a problem this time.

 Sure, there were SO SO Many hangups I had to work through, face and put them aside. I had a lot of anger to face head-on too. All remnants of a marriage that really hadn't shouldn’t have happened. If I had been thinking clearly, there wouldn't have been one at all. We tried hard to get along but it just was not meant to be. Emotional and mental abuse was rampant and it seemed to be a competition of sorts. Who could be the most wicked and hurtful?

Would I, if I could, do it over again? No freaking way in hell. Many life lessons were learned by me. I can't speak for the ex-spouse.  I learned what I would never tolerate in my life again, and how to speak up more clearly. Those are a couple of things I come up with now- but believe me, there are many more lessons learned.

Do I like being divorced again? Not sure on that one. I do like being single though. Over the months, I have met some great men, but no one special. All fun, intelligent and enjoyable- but no, no one serious.

One day right before Thanksgiving, I was thinking of how it would be grand fun to know someone close by. One that I could easily call and say- 'how about a movie?'   With no strings attached...  I jumped into the dating scene with both feet. Decided to try that Match.com group. 

Holy moly! Men showed up like crazy!! Some were totally scammers, pretending to be looking for Ms, Right. HAHAHAAAA!   Been there, bozos. Many just got tossed in the proverbial garbage can. Then one or two sounded like real nice guys. We corresponded some and got along alright....but. No sparks. The phrase " hope we can be friends?"  became my motto.  

  Then out of the blue, a man showed up in my inbox - he was nice looking and had the most gorgeous brown eyes I'd seen in a long time. We chatted on the site when he wanted my phone # so we could chat that way. I thought - that'd be fine. We exchanged phone numbers and so it went. He joined the social media group so we could chat that way too.

 For the ladies here are the stats:  he's taller than I am (whew), younger than I am, German, and omg, that accent!! He is an engineer ( owns his own company) and from what I can tell from little we have talked about it- very talented in all the things that go into this. Let's seeee- what else. He had a wonderful relationship w/ his parents, has a daughter, divorced and we hit it off. The meeting is in the near future - and yes, I know all too well about being so very careful in this. 

 With this bit of excitement added in, life is getting better and better. It is so nice to have found ME again. A better version of the "me" that was around 20 years ago. I am looking forward to whatever the future brings me, Cleo, Simone and Briana. I think we're all happier now after the hell we went thru.

                                    Looking forward and walking forward!

Christmas Memories :)

 12.15.20

I still celebrate Christmas as I grew up with it all around me. I love the holidays so much!

This time of the year, I think of the past and all the good things that have happened during my life.

One that came to mind just now was of me and my MoM in the Episcopal church during a midnight eve service and singing songs that are so well remembered...

We were singing with the others in the church... "The First Noel"

My MoM turned to look at me, and she had tears in her eyes... we held hands and sang that whole song for just each other that cold Christmas Eve so many years ago.

*********************************************************************************

The Christmas Pony

I easily can recall the best Christmas I had. I was ohhhhh...10 or 11, I think. I'm not entirely sure but it was one heck of a wonderful holiday for this horse-crazy little girl.

For as long as I can remember, " a horse'' was always at the top of my Christmas lists. It didn't matter what kind, what color, or anything. A horse is all that mattered. Ponies? No- A Horse.

That year, my mom had been rear-ended on her way home from work. Had she not remembered that big sheet of plywood she was bringing home, she would have been killed. The guy who loaded it for her said it would be okay loose, as she was heading directly home.

Wouldn't you know it? That was when someone pulled out in front of her and she had to slam on the brakes. That's when the sheet of plywood went flying. Thank the gods, she had the forethought to lay down in the seat and it went over the top of her. The car behind her hit the rear end of the Rambler we had at the time. (at least that's what I remember about it- my older siblings would remember it all much better) Other than bumps and bruises, she was alright... The car didn't fare as well though.......

My parents had some friends who had a kazillion kids and we were all good pals. There would be afternoon visits with the grown-ups talking and the kids would have a great afternoon playing around their farm. There must have been a least 100 kids,or so it seemed.. there was always someone to play tag with or to climb trees or play in the hay-mow...

OR-- To pet their ponies!! That's where I would be during each visit... looking over the fencing those ponies. Dreaming of how much fun it would be to gallop across those big fields. Every time, we all came home dirty, dusty and totally worn out.

One year we took a drive to visit the Clanton family and again- it was a total blast. This time, however, two of the girls got one pony from the pasture and asked if I wanted to ride? Me??? Of Course I Would. I was told that this pony was just being trained and didn't know a whole lot so I had to be patient with him; that he was just 3 yrs old. I was and we got along pretty good, but that he sure had his own ideas of how a pony ride should go... and they were not in my list of how a pony ride should go for a ride. I fell off and everyone was laughing as this pony stopped to look at me on the ground in complete surprise. I dusted myself off, got the reins again, and clamored back on. Off we went once more and this time I had learned his tricks. It was a better ride this time and I was in love w/ this little pony.

On our way home, we all were still finding hay or straw in our clothing or shoes when my mom asked me what I thought of the pony I'd ridden.

"How does she know I rode a pony???" I thought... I said that it was okay. After So many horses belonging to someone else and no chance of Me ever owning one, I'd learned to not get very excited over it all.

My dad drove along in silence, and then she said

"Merry Christmas''

Why? It was only the middle of December. We all looked at each other wondering what was going on. That's when my mom told me that the pony was my Christmas gift and he would be arriving a couple of days after Christmas.

All of this was hard to believe for a little girl who knew there was no chance of her actually owning her own horse. We were very poor back then and it was tough to make ends meet, without having another mouth to feed. Eventually, on the ride home, I was thinking how much fun my own pony could be. We could ride through the trails all thru the forest, go visit friends and do many more wonderful things. By the time we got to our house, I had already dreamed up the perfect barn for him to live in and brushing him until his coat shined like silver.

Turns out that buying Dusty took all of the money my mom had gotten from the insurance company payment... The rest was up to me. I had to save money for a bridle and saddle. They said they would be able to buy feed/hay and straw for him, but nothing more. < sigh>

That knowledge didn't bother me much as I knew there were ways I could make enough money to buy a saddle or bridle. It would take me a while, but I could do it.

Oh my, did the days drag byyyyyy.... Christmas was a splendid day with fresh turkey and all the trimmings plus all of the gifts we got from our parents and "Santa Claus" I think we all went to bed feeling very lucky and loved.

Finally, it was time for Dusty to Arrive!! My horse-crazy neighbor had given me some of her old brushes and an old towel for wiping his eyes or nose, plus to get the dust from his coat. She and my mom had been friends ever since they were children and I think she enjoyed knowing a kid who loved horses as she did.

An old panel van came up the drive and stopped. I knew it was a pony delivery but WHERE was the pony?? The middle door slid open and there was my pony- he had ridden in between the front and middle seats the whole way to our house. I was pretty well speechless when he jumped out and walked up to me. The kids said that they had purchased a new halter and lead for me because they knew I wouldn't have any. It was so kind of them and I gave them all big hugs.

As they drove off, I realized that it was All up to me now. My dad and I had gone pony shopping and I'd bought a new pitchfork, a rake, and another lead I think, plus another brush. I had very little savings but had the best time shopping for "my pony". My dad even told the cashier that I was shopping because I had a new pony to care for. She told me to wait right there and came back with a little dish to give him food in. Free!

She said she was a horse person also and wished me the very best with him.

That was the beginning of a long and interesting love affair that sometimes was a very unhappy one. I grew like crazy but Dusty didn't. He had a lot of tricks he had not let me know about and I was able to teach him some cute tricks. He would perform them Only if there was food involved or he just felt like humoring me.

I loved him so much even so, and he taught me many things I never would have learned had it not been being owned by a "pony".

The pony below is Not Dusty but they looked so much alike I thought to share Eli's photo here :)

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Christmas Memories

As many of you who follow along here know that I owned a small carriage business. One year, we were asked to come to a nearby town for rides during their town had its Christmas celebration. All the stores stayed open late and there were carolers strolling along the sidewalks, delicious mugs of hot chocolate and muffins were available and the lights.. Oh, those lights!! All sparkling and looking so gorgeous in the misty rain. The whole world seemed to be sparkling for that evening. Lynn and I were having a great time giving rides, and I swear my mare was smiling all the time too. Turns out Lynna LOVES fresh oat muffins! Everyone must have heard about the big white horse that loves muffins, because everyone who came to ride, had a muffin.... Hahaha- I had to ask if I could 'save' them for her barn friends, which worked well. It stopped my mare from getting an upset tummy and also that a one-ton lovely stopped mooching from anyone that walked by... I slipped each one into my basket that I tried to have with us every time.

There were families, friends, couples a whole assortment of people who wanted a ride. We had already been paid by the town so the rides were free. We still got tips though which was wonderful. At first, I tried to tell folks that we had already been paid, but still, I was handed money because, well, my mare & I did such a good job in spreading that "Christmas" joy. It sure wasn't hard because the holiday was and still is my favorite one.

Towards the end of our evening, things had become a little quiet as people were heading home. Lynn was relaxing while still hitched- she would actually doze! Her ears would flop out sideways, and her head would drop almost to the pavement. I knew she was taking a much-needed 'power nap' and I let her.

There was one little guy who had hung around most of the night- standing back away from us, but still there. I noticed him again during that last hour, standing on the outskirts of where we stood. I waved to him and he waved back, smiling. He wasn't all dressed up as the other kids had been; I figured he was living nearby and didn't see a reason to be all dressed up.

It looked like there wouldn't be any more people wanting a ride, so I waved him over. He came walking carefully and told me he knew he had to be quiet around a horse. That his grandpop had told him that. We chatted for a little bit and he kept looking at my carriage all decorated for the season.

" That sure is a beautiful wagon, ma'am" he said. I told him it was a 'carriage' and one could tell because it had seats in it for people to sit in. He nodded at this information.

" Sure is purty....... and that horse! It's so BIG!"

We talked about what breed Lynna was and I explained a little about her harness, and some other stuff. He was so full of questions!

He asked if he could touch Lynn- he looked at her like he'd never ever seen anything so wonderful. I told him- why not do one better?? He looked at me in surprise... ' What is that, ma'am?'

“ Climb up here and sit beside me in 'the box seat'. “

His eyes got so big, I figured he was speechless at hearing this. Once he heard how to make the climb, he clambered up and plopped himself down next to me. Again- ear to ear grins on his face. I told Lynn to 'walk on'- but she was already asking if she could go. I thought for a second he was going to fall off the seat! And those questions continued- how tall is she? What does she weigh? What does she eat? How long can she walk? What's her last name and more. Did she have any children? Ohhhh that little guy was full of them.

He started to tell me about him and once started, there was no stopping. His mom had died when he was small ( he was just 9 yrs old) and his dad was sick, so he lived with his nanny and grandpop. Then his grandpop had died in the Autumn- I thought to myself that this little boy had handled more in his 9 years than many adults had in their whole life.

I told him that when people die- I always thought that they went to heaven and see all of those stars up there? That's how they see us down here on earth. He was dead silent with that. " Really??? My mama and grandpop are up there, looking at me right now??" 

" REALLY."

'Yep, that's what I think', I said... He took all of this information in and must have pondered it - he was so quiet.

" ok- so if they can see me, why can't I see them?"

(oh my.)

"Because the stars are so far away, that they won't show up when we look... but they can see us. I talk to my friend all the time when there are stars showing"

Hmmmmm........

I told him when he feels lonely or sad, all he has to do is look out his window and wave at them. They'll see him. That created a smile... and he shyly waved at the sky

" Hi Mama and grandpop. I hope you can see me really well up here in this big Carriage. I have been having the best time tonight and I want to be a carriage man when I grow up"

" I guess that's all , but I love you both and Nanny does too and so does daddy"

I was driving along, teary-eyed over this great little fella. He looked at me and grinned, tears in his eyes also. I handed him the lines and told Lynn to walk on. He held those lines like a little pro- and even turned her on the correct street to come back to where we were supposed to be. I don't think a little face could smile any bigger. Naturally, my mare was perfection that night for my littlest driver ever.

We both got big hugs from him and he was still smiling as he ran off down the street calling

" Merry Merry Christmas to you, lady!!!!"

Summer in an Apartment

 9.19.21

Holy wow, life is SO different now for this farm woman!  First off, I live in a small apartment on the second floor of a big complex. I don't have much to compare sizes with but to me? Being able to see more than two families at a time is Huge. It is nice though. There aren't many places to put things in a small apartment, so that's different. No basement... no attic. Just a few rooms. 

It is a nice place though, even with all the negatives. I live just 10 minutes from where Briana is, and the folks who own the place are good people. Briana is getting chubby once again but she'll need a few extra pounds for winter, I imagine. The best thing about this new place is that she's happy.  She has a good friend in the Standardbred gelding who belongs to the owners, and he's a sweetie pie. "Ace". Big ol' dude too. I know nothing of his background but what I have been told. 

Back to this little apartment... It is roomy but small. Everything works too! If it doesn't I just have to let them know and it gets fixed. Better than many husbands, don'cha think ?  < smiles here> It is airy when it's cool enough to have the windows open. OhMyGosh-  OPEN WINDOWS!!  For almost 20 years, I had to keep the whole house closed up " those @#@#()(& windows really make my headache!"  Allergies, you know- and he wouldn't even try to figure out how to make them easier to deal with. So, this gal who Loves opened windows and fresh air suffered through, not saying much at all.

Right now?  Windows are open and this little place is full of fresh air and the cat is sitting in front of the screened sliders, enjoying it too.  Cleo, however, is laying beside my office chair waiting for me to go "do things". Occasionally, she'll head out to check to be sure Simone isn't doing bad kitty things. Simone simply doesn't DO bad kitty things, but just in case she begins to Cleo will be the second to know.

I went to the barn yesterday and when I pulled in, Briana saw me. Her head shot up and she began trotting to the gate with Ace following along behind. She called to me. It has been a very long time since that has happened. Lynna would every morning when she heard me in the tack room and another couple would nicker, but hardly Briana back then. Now?  A loud "HI MOM!!" from her.  She made me tear up a little in happiness. I love her so much.

She met me at the gate and apparently I reminded her that Jaide was no longer there. She looked around behind the run-in shed to see if maybe Jaide was there?  No- I explained to her that she'd gone to another place which was as nice as this one was. I think even with how mean Jaide was to her, Briana missed her still. 

Ace is the typical Amish driving horse. Very untrusting of all people... I feel so awful for horses like him because they need to know there are kind humans out there. When the girls were getting their teeth floated last week, he let me rub his neck and seemed to enjoy the company. He really is a sweet horse, and he's good pals with Briana.

I got my grooming box out and began currying Briana. Ooooooo- she loved it! Especially on her croup- when I stopped to get another area done, I'd find her black butt in front of me- " here, mom, here!"  I laughed and curried till I had worked up a lot of just plain dirt. 

Sadly in order to trim her bridlepath, I need to use a twitch. So many times in the past, I tried to get her to understand that nothing was ever going to hurt her, but those ears and between them are a "Don't Touch" area. It is just easier for us both not to have a big argument over it. 5 minutes later, and she looked gorgeous again. Five minutes instead of fifteen in tempers and fear. Much better. 

All the while, Ace was standing there watching it all. Not allowing me to touch him but he did pay attention - and it was okay. He's curious. His poor front legs from his knees down are a disaster. Old pinfire marks on them plus on his back legs tell me he has had a hard life. Low bowed tendons on both front legs also. He gets around fine though... That breed is one amazing lot of tough horses.

She looked so much better after a good brushing- and is most definitely growing in her winter coat! She's all but fuzzy.

It seems there are Bot Flys around like mad here. I'll have to take a disposable razor with me and shave them all off!  Ugh- awful things, those Bots. No use for them but to mess with a horses' insides.

 I got an American Saddlebred mare a few years ago and de-wormed her for many different kinds of worms plus the Bots. Omgawd! She must have pooped out handfuls of dead bots. Totally gross- but wow did she ever begin gaining weight then!

Here are some more pics I took of the two horses yesterday- enjoy!

This is their pasture- it has Grass in it!

This is the back of their shed and it's nice n shady

Briana's coming to see me again... Ace watched. I couldn't get rid of her- and loved it.

One of my favs.

this one also.

 What a wonderful place to live for a horse! 

The last one- it's on the favorites list too!

"besties"

Enjoy your week 💓💘

'Brown Bomber'

 The very first equine I met that was slightly nuts in the head was Brown Bomber. Where his owners came up with that, I will never know. I must have been just 14 when the owner called my house to speak to me. Seems he had this horse that no one could stay on, let alone ride anywhere.

My friend, Dennis and I rode our horses to the farm where I'd been told this Brown Bomber was kept. It was close to the river and a big dairy cow farm. He sure was BROWN. Not a speck of white on him for decoration at all. Dennis and I both decided that perhaps God had run out of white because this horse had none. He wasn't very handsome either. Roman nosed, little piggy eyes and he kind of looked like a lot of equine leftovers had been put together to create this one. I remembered reading a very very old horse book that I had gotten from my neighbor. In it, there were drawings of different horses depicting good types of dispositions and then the horses who were just flat-out nasty tempered. Brown Bomber was fashioned after the latter.  This drawing is from that book...  and it was very similar to good ol' Brown Bomber.

He didn't have a halter on and hadn't been brushed in quite some time. His coat was filthy and his mane /tail were matted so badly, we thought both would have to be cut off.  So they could re-grow eventually.

Each time we tried to get near him, he'd gallop off, throwing kicks at us. Whew!  He was aiming at us to be sure. All of a sudden he whirled around to face us. I looked at Dennis and he looked at me. That was when we chose to run like screaming banshees- toward the block wall that was Brown Bomber’s         

   " fence''  I didn't know Dennis could run so fast! I was flying low as I stayed right with him. We hit that block wall, leaping as high as we could and getting over it. He missed getting close enough to hurt us by a fraction of a second. 

As we lay there, gasping for air, Dennis looked over at me and started laughing. I could not figure out what was so darned funny. We had almost been a snack for a very wicked horse. All of a sudden the whole escapade hit me too- and we both lay there laughing out loud at how we must have looked.

Later that week, I called Brown Bombers' owner and said he was a very nasty horse and I'd suggest finding him a home with a Huge pasture to live out his life in.  ( just not MINE, I thought to myself)

GoodBye, Jaide

 9.16.21

Recently, I have been forced to realize I can no longer afford two horses and keep them as I like. This means proper vaccinations, dewormings, hoof care, and much more. Horses are NOT cheap to own when cared for in a correct manner. Sure, a person can buy a $100.00 horse, stick it out in a pasture and never do a thing in the way of care. THAT person is not me, though. Ever since I was old enough to know about what things were needed to keep my horse happy and healthy, I would work and save any extra money I had and they'd get the "whatever'' was needed. 

So, that being forced upon me, I knew one of the mares had to go. I had basically gotten Jaide to be a friend for Briana and possibly driving down the road aways.  Briana was my keeper, no matter what. She is simple to care for and little. Easy to care for, just about unflappable, and is great fun to have around. I have loved her ever since I first met her, so it was an easy choice.

While Jaide was easy to care for, she needed a lot more feed and would need twice as much hay, come winter. I also didn't have a warm turnout blanket for her. More money to spend... not to mention IF I wanted to drive her? I'd need a larger horse-sized cart and a horse-sized harness. Neither of which I own any longer, with thanks to being basically told to sell horse equipment.

With thanks to the pending divorce, I am practically broke. Now I wish I had gone after everything I could have-I was trying to be "nice". well, let me tell ya. Nice people end up holding the proverbial short end of the stick.  And I am one. With sending Jaide back to the rescue that owns her, my expenditures would be less than half this winter.

I called them, filled out the correct forms needed, and returned them. About 2 weeks later I got a call letting me know that they'd found a good place for her to live. The next week, the stock trailer showed up and after two tries, she walked right in. I held back my tears until they'd gone, and then Briana and I had a good cry for missing her. 

What I won't miss, however, is how mean Jaide was to Bri. She would back up and kick her for no good reason. One time, she was kicking at another horse and hit a human. THAT was not acceptable in my book- so there were some other positives to her leaving. She would not allow the barn owner's gelding in the run-in. He stood outside in all the summer storms we have had here, including a tropical storm. Ace is now happily joining Briana in the run-in shed.

 Because of all those factors, returning Jaide to where she came from was positive, except for my missing her. We had developed a kind of an agreement:  I wouldn't hurt or scare her ( never on purpose!) and she wouldn't kick or bite me.  She was a sweet mare to work around but that nasty nasty temper towards other horses- sheeesh.

I'm one horse lighter financially, and not having to worry about the upcoming winter weather Maryland has sometimes. Have I settled that mentally? Not really as I did like her a lot. It'll take some time to not drive to the barn and look for her coming from the pasture behind Briana...

                                           💓Best of the best wishes to you, Jaidens Fortune!💓💓

Briana and Jaide

 8.18.21

Are doing fine in their environment. Except for the bites, bumps, and bruises.  When I was running a horse boarding farm, I would cringe if a horse ended up with a kick mark, bite mark, or worse. I really didn't like any horse being injured no matter how small. I had show quality animals and treated everyone's horses like I did mine. 

Poor Briana is the shortest horse in the one pasture - and I feel so badly for her. They are both in with some BIG horses. These are the bullies also. So Jaide has learned to run away to keep from being bitten or kicked... as has Briana. A horse's kick can do a LOT of damage to another. There is a ton of force coming from a hind leg when it is aimed at something. Whether it be a bug, another horse, a stall wall- or heaven forbid, a person. I have been kicked, luckily never as seriously as friends have been, and realized very fast that a kick can kill or break me easily.

Personally? I am more than ready to move on. Someplace where the pasture isn't overcrowded and there is enough room for all horses to exist instead of being bullied and injured.

Each day I see my girls, there is some additional injury. Some small and will heal just fine ( but imagine the pain involved from a single smack to one's head) and then some that leave a scar and some that leave a blemish of some sort.  I don't like it one bit and will be happy to say goodbye to that place. I Love the farm itself and had I known it was for sale way back when, things might have been different but I didn't, soooooo.

From now on? Hoping that my mares stay safe and un-injured.  Safe and content...

"Oh I know That"

 8.18.21

Recently I've been hanging w/ folks who don't know much- OR have been told the absolute wrong things. (coming from a supposed "pro" who also has no idea-* see post before this one...)

These folks really need to be educated but don't seem to really care much so long as their horses don't fall over, dead. THEN they freak out.  But- you know?  That's up to them and if they choose to not bother, it's fine with me.

Sadly, that has been my attitude since shutting my horse farm down. I just don't care anymore. Now- I DO care about the horses and if I notice something going badly, I'll mention it to one of them.  I know- it's a piss-poor attitude but after living in Pennsylvania for 20 yrs, and then moving into god knows where " I don't know" Maryland, it has become the norm.

 Now we get to the real reason for this post...  The " I know that" people.  I'm sure more of the seasoned horse folks understand the kind of human I'm speaking of. Those who've never really owed their own equine - having taken some lessons to learn how to not fall off one, or those that have owned one but are still beginners in the world of horses.  These humans seldom learn more than that ' don't fall off" routine unless their " trainer" ( instructor!!!) takes the time to teach them how to actually handle a horse, care for one, and more.

They are online too!  (omgosh- cannot escape the know it alls) In fact, there are thousands of them. The internet is positively loaded. There are pages on social media for ALL kinds of horse things- "My Skinny Horse'  " horse health discussions' and the training ones- I sit here and just smile at all of the wonderful ideas those beginners ( and those who have had horses " all their lives" and STILL are clueless) come up with. The dressage riders, western riders, English pleasure riders- they ALL have their pages. Yes, even those who drive have pages. Trail riders, those who show, those who just love that horse but never actually ride it, and a kazillion more. 

Once or twice I tried to join in on some discussions and was so rudely put down by, yes, beginner know it alls, that I just left the group. They can blissfully carry on as chosen. There was one site where someone had been told to " lay their horse down" Now- how many horse folks have seen the Horse Whisperer movie?   Uh-huh...  I could see utter disaster coming and spoke up. There were many ways to have a horse learn to respect a human and throwing them on the ground was not one. Oh lordy! All hell broke loose then. WHO was I to even offer a thought let alone a qualified answer?? 

Once again, I learned to not ever try to explain things to a know-it-all person in the horse world... Another page is gone. 

Where do people figure it is alright to cut another down and then shred them up to small pieces with what they write???  This has been going on for a very very long time and one would think people would learn to try to get along instead of attacking as they do. I don't know- perhaps there are to many people in this world and anger has become a norm for so many. I got told I was an ass, called other names I won't mention, and basically told to leave that list because I had no idea what I was talking about.

Folks...   I have been a professional trainer of horses and instructor to humans since I was 19. I'm now 69 yrs old. I really think I have learned a few things.  Apparently not according to those folks. I've brought some mighty wicked assed horses back to wanting to trust during my life, and have started so many youngsters I don't remember 3/4 of them. I've become a world champion in the world of Percheron horses and have shown for a long time in the sport of driving. < sigh> Yet, here I was once again, being told I didn't know squat. 

Many many years ago, I learned about staying humble and listening to the Pros when they offered bits of training or just general information. The time I did speak up, thinking I knew what I was saying, it wasn't long until I got sat down and told  " That 'Old Man' as you called him owns two of the highest-ranking reining mares in the country- didn't you KNOW THAT????"  (or something very similar)

                                                                      Holy Moly.

Uneducated humans

 8.6.21

Things around here have been changing as usual. Life is never the same unless one allows it to be. Mine changes when all I wanted was some peace and quiet. I think I found it and Pow! I learn I didn't.

This past week it seems I got "evicted" from the barn where the girls were living. Granted, it wasn't much to look at but it was basically safe and okay. The gals who boarded there were nice enough also. 

 So- there I am standing there trying to take in what had just happened and it wasn't working. I went about my evening at the barn which was nothing compared to what I'd done just a year before. It turns out that the Amish owner realized that there were too many horses in one pasture and that the 'grass would not grow" Well- DUH????  It was overgrazed before I moved in, but that's another story...  There I was- wondering what in the bloody heck was I going to Do?  Decent boarding farms cost an arm and a leg, and no way I could afford to pay an arm n' a leg. ( it would have made it hard to walk in the first place...;) ) 

Luckily, the farm owner had included a phone # of an Amish friend of his who lived down the road from where this farm is. I called the next day, drove over to see it, and said " yes" to moving in there. There was to be no refund for me leaving sooner than the month I had graciously been given, so I'm staying until the first of September. By then, the field should be completely grazed down to nothing.  That isn't my problem any longer.

On to my subject...  During my time at that farm, I realized that some of the boarders had really gotten a bad education concerning horses and their care. I offered to help out one gal- but she was into something else at the moment or wasn't that interested- I only offer once. That was fine w/ me, actually. I had decided to not bother teaching humans or horses any longer. 

I've watched some of the teenagers who according to others " really were good riders".   Ummmm, no. If they had been taught correctly, they would know how to cool their horses off properly. How to warm up and cool down before and after a ride... and more. Not to mention having tack that actually fit their horses' bodies.  Ah well... I just remained quiet and kept to myself as usual.

 A very short conversation today allowed me to think that it could be a good idea for this blog.  With ALL of the information available online, via some very good professional instructors in the areas, WHY are kids still feeling as though it is alright to pound on their horses because the said horse was scared?  Why don't their parents teach them that a beating does nothing but create a frightened and now untrusting animal?  Perhaps the "horsey" parent hasn't a clue either?? And so it goes.

I was waiting for the hose to go top off my stall water buckets and they were adding water to the feed. Now- this was sweet feed, and some had pellets.  Pelleted feed will absorb water but not in the 2 minutes it took to carry them out to the pasture and dump either in little feed tubs or on the ground.  Noooo- it's a waste.  I asked one of the teenagers why the horses got wet feed. " Because my horse chokes if it isn't wet."   Ummm...  Have you ever tried adding medium-sized rocks in the feed tubs so they have to push the rocks about and that slows them down?? Pause  " I have heard of that, but My horse knocks over the feed bucket ( the horses are all out 24/7)   At this point?  I could have mentioned the fact that to prevent a lot of that problem, a person could fasten the feed bucket on the fence post, and voila!!  No more troubles.  However, I decided to drop it as the kid had a bad attitude and I had dared to ask her in front of her boyfriend ( I guess) and another little friend of hers.  Ehhhhhhhh- okay, sweetie- you keep on thinking that...

This sort of thing used to make me crazy as in the past, I'd be looked at as being crazy...  Hahahaaa- alright then!  Once again, this problem of uneducated humans has shown up in my life and I had to walk away.   Why burst her little " I know it all" bubble?   After all, she was 17 and no doubt knew all about horses. 

I picked up the hose and filled my mare's water buckets... thinking 

"yes, it will be nice to be gone from here".  I'll miss my newly found pals though... they're just a short way away once we move.

I cannot Wait to get some more chicks and have the mares in the backyard again. There Are positives about boarding but the positives to having one's own horses ''right there'' far outweigh the boarding scene.  It'll be like heaven again after all of this 😁😏 

  My sweet Jaide got kicked pretty soundly a couple of weeks ago and before that ? A hard one to the front of her stifle. That one I had a vet out about- turns out it was a hematoma and would eventually go down- thank goodness!!

 Finally, the swelling has gone down almost completely but I was very happy to realize it had missed her eye.  I know we dodged a serious wound and plenty of eye problems and have said thank you to the heavens above for looking out for us. By the time I had gotten there it was swollen that I didn't think stitches would hold, It got cleaned out very gently and Jaide was so good for me. This is the mare who'd kick if I did anything she didn't think was alright. She'd threaten to bite and one time, I heard teeth whizzing by my side, but no connection. She is finally learning to trust that I'm not like the "others" as she calls them.

By now, it is all closed up, no sign of infection and while it's still a little bit swollen ( tissues underneath are still healing) - it will be fine.  Jaide will carry a reminder of how life gets when there are to many horses in one pasture... and so will I.

I've really grown to love Jaide by now. She's sweet and kind- and so smart also. Briana will always be my first love with these two.  There were times I wondered if Jaide would ever trust again but she has, and now I adore both of my mares.  I cannot wait to be able to harness/ drive Jaide one day! 

Briana is so darned cute- she shoves her muzzle into her halter so she can go out faster after she has her dinner. She was losing a little bit TOOOO much weight, so I began feeding her dinner as well as her breakfast. It was all she needed and is looking round again instead of gaunt. If the weather gets cool, I do want to drive more... it has been terribly hot/ humid here in Maryland. Neither of us enjoys it- I can see Briana n' myself sitting by a pool, dabbling our feet and hooves in the water all summer long.

 Hope your summer has been a good one!.

My 'space cadet' in her new protective fly mask...

Is she Memorex??

7.18.21

 I was over at the farm this afternoon- the daily excursion it seems. I am so fortunate to have a gal who doesn't mind walking the girls to their stalls each morning.

I sprayed Briana with the fly spray, fed Jaide ( she is getting ribby due to no grass by now. The pastures are so terribly overgrazed it's sad.) Sooooooooooo I suppose I'll have to use the crap hay I bought for cheap that I have for winter- can't afford to pay much more- and up their feed too. Sighhhh. Jaides eye is looking good so far. Her swelling is going down slowly and I don't see a sign of infection.

Anyhow, there I was cleaning out two quite messy stalls due to them being in last night and today. I was deep in thought and heard something outside. This is a 4 stall row barn and I'm right there. I looked out and saw nothing to make any noise at all. It is Sunday and we have been told by the Amishman he wants NO ONE there at the barn on that day. While I understand it is his day of rest, it isn't ours. Oh well- I need to find somewhere else, but again- cannot afford it. Such is the life I now have. I try to remain positive, but at times it gets pathetic.

Back to my pooh shoveling and I heard it again. On the road this time- like a small fairy horse trotting about. Hmmmmmmmmm..... I look out again and still, nothing. Weird. By that time, I'm done with Briana's stall and spray it down with stall deodorizer to kill the urine smell. Again- there it is!

This time I caught a glimpse of a little brown tail going into the Amishmans' private barn. Ah HA! Someone '' short'' had managed to get loose???

I sit out front and wait to hear/ see this mystery critter. And I waited... Squeals from inside the private barn- I knew someone was causing trouble in there.

So now, what to DO? Shall I go attempt to catch this little horse? Shall I walk over to their house, disturb them on their Sabbath? Or do nothing. We have been told to stay away from HIS horses, and to keep out of HIS barn- so I decided to do absolutely nothing.

When Laurel and I were unpacking the truck/trailer that hot night the mares first arrived, he shows up and finds out what is going on- and Leaves. No offer to help, nothing.

Knowing that I chose to just leave it as it all was. Turns out it was a mini mare that he bought for someone on the farm. The poor little thing is thin, really beat up with hair missing all over her body. I wasn't sure if it was a kind of mange or not- another reason I didn't want to catch her. She was hanging around the barns, and I knew she wasn't going to wander off on her own. I think she saw it as a great adventure. Heck- let her have a little while longer to be meeting all the other horses in that barn. The ones that never get to be loose in a pasture and stand in pooh-covered straw until the stall gets cleaned out... I feel so awful for them.

There's one gorgeous mare that is supposedly totally nuts in the head. A loud noise sends her climbing up her stall wall or trying to flee. I so wish I could spend time with her... but I don't dare ask as I'll get rebuffed for sure. It's just so sad, again.

Anyhow- I wished the little mini mare good luck and to be careful out there, and left.

Jaide trying to find some grass...