Prom King

I had just gotten home from getting a few groceries when I got a text from my mom saying that my baby brother, Reed, just got Prom King!!! I am so proud and happy for him!

We have also had a few visitors at the farm in the form of Guinea Fowl hens these past few days. A couple of them are solid white, while the others are a dark gray. They usually come around at 7:30ish and are very verbal. They come around the house area and eat worms and bugs. Occasionally one will get left behind and then find their reflection in my big living room window and squawk at its reflection. The other day a duck accompanied them and it was by my window along with a couple of the hens. One of the hens started squawking and pecking at its reflection in the window and then left. It was so cute seeing the duck with them and the song "One of These Things is Not Like the Other" popped right in my head.

Madusa's owner has been coming around more and riding her so I have been riding Barney more. Lately he has been going a bit faster than normal, especially when Paige is around so I am trying to slow him down a bit.

That is about all that is happening lately.

He Is Risen!!

The prophecy has now come true. Jesus Christ destroyed the temple and, on the third day, rose it up again. This temple, as his persecuters failed to understand, refers to Jesus Christ himself.

Looking back, I didn't do such a great job with my nail-biting this year, but I did blog every day. The beautiful thing about that is, I got out a lot of feelings that would otherwise eat at me for days, thus causing me to lose sleep and be stressed out constantly. I can always go back and edit entries later, another beautiful thing about blogging!

Easter mass was very nice. I was able to remember most of what I was supposed to sing and I did it in a dress and heels!! I'm surprised my mother didn't whip out the camera to take pictures to capture this rare event. The family get together was a blast. I was able to see everyone, play with the dogs, eat homemade ice-cream, and play a couple games of Hands and Feet. I got back around 9 this evening and I'm surprised I'm not more worn out.

Back to the Roots

After the evening feed, I headed back to Britt. I stopped at Casey's along the way to get gas and get some supper, which was a slice of cheese pizza...exciting, I know. I made my first stop at Grandma's to see how she and Grandpa were doing since I don't get to see them that often and probably won't have many more chances. Then I went back to my parents'. Not much changed since I was there last. The upstairs has been repainted and looks very nice and modernized.

I helped Dad make taco dip and cuddled with my old dog, Riley, who is the smaller black dog in my profile picture. Man, he is getting old, too! He was curled up in the garage and shivering. I wish I could take him to Cedar Falls with me. I miss having a dog around all the time. Paige's dog is nice, but he lives upstairs. Oh, well. I always have my plant.

Tomorrow is Easter. I actually brought home a couple dresses to wear to church in the morning. Shocker!! I plan to sing in the choir instead of sitting in the congregation, since I do that all the time in Gilbertville. I haven't practiced the Easter mass with the choir, but I mainly go off the sopranos and tenors to find the alto notes anyway, so I shouldn't have a problem. I can't wait to see the rest of my family tomorrow. Easter dinner will be at my parents' place, so I will get to see everyone and go back to Cedar Falls from there. Hopefully we can get in a card game or two.

I hope everyone has a Happy Easter tomorrow!!

Good Friday

Today is Good Friday. It went like any other day, I had to work, couldn't go to church. I went to mass for Holy Thursday. That was a very nice treat to get out and meditate for a while. Tomorrow evening I will be heading north to visit the family for a day. I am so excited, even if it is for a day. I haven't been up there in what seems like ages!! I hope I can remember everyone's names! Hahaha.

Tonight, I went out to ride Madusa. As I was brushing her, her owner came to ride. It was a nice surprise...but it was a little hard watching someone else ride Madusa. I have been working with her for a long time, so I have become a little attached to her.

New Sport? or New Hobby?

Well, it seems as though the horses have found a new game to play with us humans. Normally two horses play it, but it seems as though some other horses have heard of this. It is called Hide the Halter. This game consists of the horses somehow removing their halters from their heads, which they can have an assistant horse do or a good scratch behind the ears can do the trick. Following the removal, the halter than gets thrown on the ground far into the paddock or pasture, or stomped in the gooey mud so well that the human can barely see it. Running in circles around the humans can bring extra fun, but is not necessary.

We had two young horses play this game yesterday, in which the youngest had hers buried in the mud. They decided to run around us full blast for a couple minutes before they stopped to let us catch them. Today, another horse had caught wind of this game and removed her halter. Luckily for me, she didn't stomp it in the mud and was easy to catch. Otherwise, Barney and YoYo usually play the game at least once a month. However they are too lazy to run around in circles, so that makes it easier for us to catch them.

Looking Ahead

I am going to be going North to visit my family. I plan to leave after chores on Saturday evening and coming back on Sunday night. Unfortunately, I won't be able to stay until Tuesday. My cousin, Rachel, is coming to Iowa from Boston to visit for a few days and will be in Britt on Monday. My cousin and my mom have tried to get me to stay or go up to play cards, but I can't. It would be nice to have that little vacation, but other opportunities will probably come around.

Right now I am working on my 500-piece puzzle and listening to Eminem. The past couple nights I have been listening to music and working on the puzzle and I have quickly remembered why I love puzzles so much. They are relaxing and a way to unwind and not watch TV or be on the computer all the time.

Snow?!

This morning I woke up and it was snowing like crazy! Iowa weather never ceases to amaze us with its bipolar-ness. Haha.

Today was my day off, and I was feeling a little under the weather. I stayed in all day, napped, got little done, and am feeling better now. I finally closed my checking account at Farmer's Trust and that's about all I got done today. That's about all I have on my mind at the moment.

Well...

I have been given an opportunity to go somewhere in the near future. Julie said that she would be able to cover for me if I decide to go. With the current struggles, I don't know if I want to or not yet. I did talk to someone whom I haven't spoken to in a while and he gave me some words of encouragement. I trust his word as well, so I am going to do like he told me and take my time in my decision, stop stressing out so much about my conflictions, and get some sleep.

Otherwise I had a pretty good day. I put in another ride on Madusa today, got everything done in a timely manner, and even had some time to kill.

Palm Sunday

Today is Palm Sunday. The stretch run; the start of Holy Week and, so far, it is off to a good start. The weather was a lot better, Father Huber told me that it was a great day to go for a horse ride after Mass, and I agreed. I put in another great ride on Madusa after Paige finished her lessons for the day. It is always nice having an empty arena to work in and a quiet atmosphere with the radio for background noise. Yesterday I went to get a few needed items and decided to splurge on a new 500-piece puzzle. It is a picture of a white horse galloping near the ocean shore and it's titled "Ocean Winds." I started on it tonight while listening to Boyce Avenue on YouTube. It was a great way to end the day.

It was relatively stress-free. Jan was pretty quiet, it was a nice change. I finally snapped at her yesterday after chores. She was trying to calm the horses down as she was sweeping the cobwebs off the stall bars, and I could hear her on the other side of the arena! I finally just told her to just keep going and stop talking to the horses so they could figure it out for themselves. It felt good to yell since I had been wanting to do it all week. Poor Jan. I did apologize this morning and I kept a somewhat straight face, since it wasn't really sincere because I meant what I said. She accepted it and Paige had her do stuff away from me since she understands my pain now as well. She decided to work alongside Jan for a few days the past few weeks and she admitted that Jan is really annoying. At least Jan only has a couple more weeks left of her internship.

Differences

Recognizing and accepting differences is one of the major issues in our society today. I grew up in a religious, old-fashioned family, in the same little town my parents grew up in. Before I left for college, I didn't really know what my true opinions of what was going on in the world were. My first job working at the grocery store didn't really give me a lot of cultural variety. All the employees were from the same area in general so we were all the same race and heterosexual.


Going to college and working at McDonald's was a whole other ball game. I came across homosexuals, African Americans, who outside of McD's were more of Chicago's hip hop culture, and rebellious teens who listened to hip hop, rap, heavy metal, and some of whom were into the party scene already. I found that a lot of these people are some of the most beautiful people I have met. I'm not just talking about the physical beauty, even though the lesbian I worked with was a gorgeous young woman; I'm talking about the mental and emotional beauty. They were also more sure of themselves as people.

These people taught me how to listen with an open mind and heart, blocking out our differences in race, or sexuality, or culture. They would actually listen to what I had to say and not question or judge or try to help. In turn, I also listened to what they had to say about their views on life. Through this, I have learned what beliefs I have set in stone. I still am not too keen on the whole gay marriage/homosexual lifestyle, it is not my lifestyle of choice; but if some of my friends want to choose the homosexual lifestyle, I can't stop them. It has been proven that sexuality is NOT a choice. It is the way a person IS. Thanks to those that I have met, I can now say that I can blend in with just about anyone or any crowd I happen to be a part of. But that doesn't mean that that is who I am. It means I know what they are saying, even if it isn't in proper English. I can say I don't judge others on their sexuality, culture differences, skin color, etc.

If we are all God's children, then won't He accept everyone despite those differences?

Back to Business

My grandparents and parents stopped by for a speedy visit today. It was very windy, rainy, and cold out, plus I had to feed the horses, so we only spoke about 10 minutes. Mom had to go use my restroom and get a drink for Dad so he wouldn't be parched the rest of the way to Cedar Rapids. Dad is attending a men's conference while Mom and my grandparents are going to be visiting my aunt in Swisher. Grandma is so funny. She kept trying to get me to say that I am having issues with my brother, which I was able to dodge. She started out with "How are things going? How are you? What is new?" then just came out and asked "How's Micah doing?" I had to roll my eyes since she just wanted me to admit that he and I are at odds. We have another situation like that going on in our family, and we don't need another.

Meh.

I have too many feelings racing through my mind right now. I just don't know what to post on here anymore. I don't know if I want to just throw in the towel, put my blinders on, and just focus on work and prayer, or continue to post, but just put stuff on for shits and giggles. These past few posts I thought would make me feel better by getting things off my chest that people otherwise wouldn't let me get out without analyzing, advicing, and assuming, but I was obviously wrong.

Meh.

Just Sayin...

When you are trying to repair a relationship, is it really a smart idea to expect that person, and that person only, to contact you? Is it a smart idea to post stuff about that person without getting the facts in order, instead putting in names that have had absolutely nothing to do with what has happened in your life? Is it a smart idea to publicly call out that person and say "here I am, wanna fight?" Apparently that is what is expected of me.

As I have stated in a previous blog about my brother wanting to fix our relationship as brother and sister. I only stated my views of why our relationship is how it is today. Well, I had apparently pissed him off and after the shock of seeing how he is still acting like a immature brat, I have decided to just let it go. According to him, I am the one who has to know his daily schedule, call him in his free time, and talk to him about my current events. Excuse me, but I am not the only one who knows how to work a cell phone, or drive a car, or send an email, or send a message on Facebook. Just sayin'. Speaking of Facebook, he also removed me from his friends list and didn't answer any of my phone calls. Ok, so if he wants to continue to act like an immature brat who is also bashing me online and giving "knee-jerk responses" then I'm just fine with that. I have more things to worry about in my life than people like him.

Just sayin'. G'night!

Day Off

Today was my day off. I got a lot accomplished such as deep cleaning the apartment, re-organizing my closet, and going to the bank. I had been looking for my savings bonds for a while, and while I was reorganizing this morning, I found them! It was such a relief. Now I hope that I don't forget where they are again. I vacuumed, washed dishes, dusted, mopped, cleaned windows on the inside and out, and swept the outside area around the apartment.

I also sorted through my pants to see if they would at least still stay up by themselves, and they did, so I won't have to worry about buying new capris or shorts yet. I have lost at least 25 pounds since working at the farm and becoming a vegetarian and I'm still getting used to this weight again. I haven't been this light since high school.

I went to the evening mass in Raymond and went to the final CCL talk. Tonight was about spiritual healing. Sister Therese told us how important it is to forgive others AND ourselves for any mistakes or mistreatments that may have come to us. She also suggested making a bad situation into a good one. For example, when a family member becomes ill with cancer and eventually dies, we shouldn't think we are being punished, but are given a new reason to be thankful for the time we had with them, how we can remember them, and how we can honor them by being alive and living our lives to the fullest.

I also got to see Mom and our friend, Brenda Smith after they were done with their Mass music clinic today. They came over to the farm and we visited and walked around a bit since they had been sitting all day. It was nice visiting and seeing them again.

CCL- Night 2

I went to Night 2 of the Creative Christian Living seminar. Tonight, Sister Therese gave tips on how to pray 1)verbally, 2)mentally, and 3)emotionally. Verbally, is actually saying a prayer that we either may have learned in school, such as the Lord's Prayer, or just saying a prayer out loud. Mental prayer is the silent prayers that we pray when we want to feel close to God or need to pray for guidance in a tough situation. Emotional prayer is the prayer that comes from the heart. We can pray to praise God, give thanks to God, ask for guidance in our daily lives, and to bless those around us in our daily lives.

Before she starts her talk, Sister Therese asks us to pray with her. She tells us to rest our hands in our lap, close our eyes, and take a few deep breaths. She had us do it again at the end for even longer. I have to say, after working all day, I had to fight to stay awake during those moments.

Tomorrow, Mom and our friend and her fellow musician, Brenda, are coming to Cedar Falls to attend a music clinic to learn new mass music. They might come to visit afterward, and I have the day off. I hope they have a safe and successful trip! I know that Father Huber is going to bug my mom while she is there. He knows that sometimes she can be forgetful of what she can and can't do...so I will help him in reminding her that you can't rollerskate in a buffalo herd!!! Love ya, Mom!!

Creative Christian Living

This morning, I went to church as usual. Before mass started, we were entertained by a small, young altar server who was not having much luck lighting the wick on one of the candles that was at least twice his size. The light he was using kept going out. A musician tried helping him, and when she thought he was going to get it lit, it snuffed out again. Finally, Father Huber came out and eventually, they got the darned candle lit.

After mass, Father said he would see me at the Creative Christian Living seminar tonignt, tomorrow, and Tuesday. I made it this time! I did not fall asleep again!! It was long, but interesting. Sister Therese had some good points and said that we shouldn't hold onto the bad that has already happened, to look back on our relationships and see how any bad ones can be fixed, to change what we can and accept what we can't, and to open our hearts to receive not only God's love, but others' love as well.

Relationships. I do look at my relationships with the people I see every day, and even if they don't like me a whole lot, they do show me respect and that is a good start. I try to greet everyone with a smile and ask them how their day is going. Moving on to my family, I do have a great relationship with my parents. I know that I can go to them for advice and support if and when I need it. They have their quirks, but who doesn't? My youngest brother, Reed, and I have a pretty good relationship. It may have had it's rocky periods, but we are pretty good now. Micah, well, he's the poor middle child. He and I, I think, are polar opposites. I know that he wants to fix our relationship as brother and sister, but I think he tries too hard at times. When Mom and Dad are away, we are good. Everything is calm, we can talk like normal people, have some good conversations, and he is okay. However, when the 'rents are around, things change. He acts like a little kid, which in turn, compels me to act like a bratty little girl, and I don't like that. In a nutshell, I don't know if we'll have the relationship that Micah wants to have between us. I'm going off bad experiences when it comes to being around him with the parents and being the blame for everything he does to make a scene when most of the time, I don't do anything unless it's to make him stop acting like he is in elementary school.

Anyway, I didn't see Father Huber tonight. Hmm, maybe he was there in spirit, or he sent one of his clowns to see if I made it or not. We shall see! G'night, readers.

Spring Storms

We are expecting our first batch of storms tonight and tomorrow. I am actually excited! I can't wait to watch the storm clouds come in. They always amaze me with their powerful looks and torrential downpours. So bring on the rain! Haha.

A vet came out to check to see if a young horse is ready to be castrated. The bad news is that he didn't have both testicles dropped yet, so the owner is going to have to show a yearling stallion for the first couple shows. The good news is that he is already easy-going and easy to handle. He is still a baby and is a little nippy and testy, but that should grow out of him as he learns. He is already like a different horse since he has been here.

Madusa went great. I asked her to use her back and collect even more, and she did amazing considering she is coming into heat. We even broke a sweat! It was really warm out today, I just love T-shirt weather. Tomorrow the high is supposed to be in the upper 70's.

One of the forums that I am on has had a discussion on religion going on the past day and a half (dangerous territory!), and some of the things that have been said I would love to show my dad and see what he has to say! The things that come out of some people's mouths can be quite odd. A couple of them are also Catholic, but I have to wonder just how they are really set. It seems to me that they built a lot of their houses on sand instead of stone. It's a good thing they are still young.

That is about everything I have for today. Happy storm-watching, readers!

Rain

We finally got rain last night! Only 3/10 inch, but I'll take it. We are supposed to get more rain this weekend and storms on Sunday. I can't wait!!

Everything got done as usual today. We have set up a new feeding schedule so that one person does the feeding instead of three. That actually makes it a lot simpler, because then we don't have to worry about missing someone or feeding someone twice. While one person feeds, though, someone follows with the broom. Today was the first day doing this and we got chores done in 20 minutes!

I will also start having Tuesdays off. I wish it were Sundays, but I'll take what I can get. At least I will still have Sunday mornings off so I can attend mass. I probably won't be able to go home for Easter, but Paige said that it depends on what happens so we'll see how things go in the next couple weeks. I was thinking I would go home after chores on Saturday evening, then come back Sunday evening or afternoon. I'll take whatever, but if I don't get it off, then I can go home on Tuesdays. At least then I will be able to see my family again. I'm really going to fight for Reed's graduation! Time seems to fly by, and soon my baby brother will be graduated. Gosh, I must be getting old!

I was reading my other brother, Micah's, blog earlier and, despite some big mistakes, he mentioned an event I had moved on from and forgotten: a phone call in high school that ended up being a prank call asking me to a dance. Oh, the things he remembers! I may not be able to remember half the events like he does, but once he mentions it, I can remember the facts. The phone call was NOT from Jake Mohr, nor was he my crush, like Micah mentioned. It was from someone else who liked to try and get a rise out of me. It's funny, but looking back, the only guys who treated me with respect from when Kanawha and Britt merged in Jr. High were my two crushes. All the other Kanawha boys gave me a hard time. Oh well, that is the past; this is the present; let's all just move on with our lives.

We get two new horses in tomorrow. They will be here for a couple weeks or so. It's scary how within the next month at least six horses will leave. I hope we get more to replace them!

Until tomorrow, readers!

Calmer Day

Today was more normal. All the daily duties that need done went by smoothly. The vet did come over to do a vaccination and check on a horse. He was supposed to come tomorrow morning, but had some things come up and had to do a last minute rescheduling. It was nice seeing him again, he is easy to talk to and is some pretty nice eye candy. It's too bad he's taken!!

Otherwise, nothing else really happened today. I had another headache, went in and, finally, cooked a meal, and it went away. Paige said that Barney missed being ridden, but one of the boarders that I dislike was working his horse, so I laid low tonight. He was pretty cool at first, but he thinks he's a big shot since he's from Chicago and everyone else is below him for that reason. I don't really like that kind of attitude. Tomorrow, Barney would be ridden so he will be happy. Until tomorrow, readers...

Crazy Day/Nice Surprise

This morning went from normal to crazy at the drop of a hat. One of the horses had rubbed herself against one of the posts in her stall that was stained yesterday and had a good size patch of it on her neck along with other splotches here and there. I wasn't too worried about it at first, I tried to wipe some of it off with a rag, but that didn't do too much. The stain is a slow-drying, nonlethal, sticky substance that gives a nasty taste to the horse if they decide to chew wood or crib, but is otherwise harmless unless the horse has sensitive skin. Once Paige saw it, she freaked, saying that it was a stupid idea to have painted that stuff in a stall with a horse in it in the first place, and that she could have a reaction. The horse was fine. She wasn't rubbing it obsessively and was otherwise playing around with the other horses. The stain was on her coat, which has yet to shed anyway, so it wouldn't have stayed on for very long anyway. One of the interns and I did end up getting it off with warm, soapy water. The thing that got me going was how Paige kept going on about how stupid it was of us to have let it happen in the first place. I normally mentally beat myself up for my mistakes, I don't need any help in that department.

Not ten minutes after the stain incident, one of the other horses was pawing quite high at the new horse on the other side of the fence. He wasn't being mean, he was just letting the other horse know that he was the boss. While he was doing that, two of the new agri-stretch plastic wire got caught in-between his hoof and shoe. This caught him off guard and he started backing away quickly. Boy did that stuff stretch!! He got halfway across the paddock before one of them snapped off the post, the other kept stretching until he stopped. We were able to clip off the remaining wire from his hoof and fix the fence.

I also rode Madusa and Barney tonight. They both went pretty well, despite the fact that Barney hasn't been ridden in a while.

As I was tacking up Madusa for her ride, I overheard Brian and Paige talking outside the groom room and Brian mentioned that he hadn't seen me ride Barney that much. Paige answered that I don't have the ambition to ride. I only ride a couple times a week and I could be riding more. Yes, that is true. I could ride every day, I have two horses that are finished and need the exercise. I do not have as much ambition as I used to, but that is because 1)I don't have the freedom to think for myself and share my achievements without being mentally knocked down; and 2)I am out working in the barn all day, at the end of the day, I am tired; if Jan is working, I am annoyed; and I enjoy socializing with the boarders since I don't go out at all. I barely ever leave the farm, I go work in the barn for at least 6 hours every day, then either ride or go inside and watch TV and go online. I even tried to see if I could have Easter off, and Paige said it's probably going to be a "no." Well, now I can work toward getting Reed's graduation off. *crosses fingers*

I did get a package in the mail today from my mom. She sent me three T-shirts, two of them barn-related, and one with the Latin translation of "Lamb of God". Thanks, Mom!!

Work in Progress

Julie and I started a new project today that will keep the interns busy for a couple days. We started staining the new wooden posts and boards on the dirt side. Today, we got the wood dusted off and 5 stalls stained. A couple of them only had a tiny bit to stain, others had a few boards that needed done. I was a little high from being around the fumes for a couple hours and one of the boarders commented on how strong the smell was. Julie couldn't smell anything with her allergies, so she was lucky. She wasn't affected or anything, but after chores I began to feel a little light-headed. After a break and some fresh air, I was a bit better and am feeling fine now.

I also got to watch Julie ride Brian's horse, Hobbs. She has the basics down, but she will do well once Paige starts giving her lessons.

Tomorrow, one of the horses will leave to get bred. She won't be coming back afterward, but we will get another horse in. Brittany'shorse is going to leave on Thursday. Brian doesn't want it to leave, because he likes the horse a lot. He is thinking up new and creative ways to convince her to keep him here, but she just won't budge. She has promised to bring pictures for him to see, and I told him that the horse will send him postcards every now and then. Hahaha.

Later, readers.

Productive Day

Despite the windy, cold weather, today was a very productive day. Julie and I did all the usual barn duties, plus got the hay shed door back on its track, got the dead coon in the hay shed to the burn pile, and cleaned up some hay in the shed. I also rode Madusa after chores and she went very well.

I was riding with one of the boarders, who decided to chase me when I called his horse an Arab, an inside joke between some of the boarders and me. So Madusa and I did quite a few jog to lope transitions. He was being nice and didn't come close enough to attempt to push me off. When he tried to demonstrate by coming closer, Madusa pinned her ears and raised one of her hind legs in warning that Brian's horse was getting too close. He is also trying to persuade Brittany, one of the stall cleaners/boarders, to keep her horse here. It is always fun to laugh with the boarders after a busy day in the barn.

That's about all that went on today, until tomorrow readers!

Mixed Feelings

This weekend, I found out that one of my fellow high school graduates is engaged. My congratulations go to him and his beautiful fiance. While I am very happy for him and wish them the best, I am a little sad; he was my on-again, off-again crush throughout jr. high and high school. Oh well, I'll find someone who is just as good, maybe even better, than him.

We were supposed to get rain today, but haven't gotten any, even though we need it pretty badly. It was a very warm day out today. The high was 78!! Whew! That is some crazy Iowa weather for you!

In the homily today, Fr. Huber spoke about one of the veiled messages in the Gospel and that was fear. The blind man, who was given sight by Jesus, kept telling the people how it was that he could see, and they wouldn't believe him. So, they brought his parents into the middle and asked them how their son, whom was blind since birth, could now see. They said to ask their son, since he was a grown man and could speak for himself. But they said it in fear of being cast away from the synagogue, their social networks, and their home. Father went on to share that he had wondered how different their lives would have been if they had told the Pharisee's the miracle that Jesus performed on their son. We shouldn't be afraid to proclaim our faith in God. What if we do get ostracized? Things usually have a way of getting worse before they get better, right? If we can stick through the hard, rotten times in our lives, and have faith that He will help guide us along the bumpy road to salvation, then we can get through anything with His help. I constantly find myself in that predicament. I find that I can't say things and then get yelled at or beaten down for it if it sounds wrong. I can't just tell people my theories, I have to SHOW them to get my point across. Switching Madusa's bit is just one example, even though I told Paige too soon about the change, Madusa has been back to her old self and is happier being ridden. I can't pat myself on the back and tell my success' all the time, the things I say I have done in the past can't be proven unless someone asks around. I'll leave you with that tonight. Later, readers!

New Intern

Julie, our new intern, started today and I think she is going to do better than Jan! She handled and got along with all the horses very well, did her work quickly and accurately, and was quiet! I was cleaning stalls with her, and didn't hear any humming sounds or loud comments. That is unless Jan was with us. Tomorrow she has the day off, but I look forward to working with her more on Monday.

We got some stalls ready for a trainer who was passing through on her way back to Canada from Florida, where she was training and showing for the winter. I asked if they needed any help and they handed me a young, new horse whom they were bringing North for training. He seemed to be the most easy-going of the bunch. Once they got him off the trailer, I took him to his stall, which he walked right into, stood quietly while I took his shipping boots off, drank some water, and rolled before they fed him his supper. He was so ready to be fed, he started chewing on the wood! The other horses balked at one point, but this one was completely fine...like he had been here his whole life.

Tonight I made Rice Krispie treats and Chex Mix. Now I have something to snack on when I take a break. I also had another headache today, which Jan didn't help with her loudness, but I took a nap after chores and it had diminished to a dull throb. I think I am getting them more ofter now because of the weather. The wind had been blowing quite a bit, and I go in and out of it a lot during the day. Hopefully they will pass once the weather calms down.

Horse Kids

I remember the good old days of my childhood like they were yesterday...ok, they kinda WERE yesterday; but seeing one of the lesson kids today, and meeting a little girl whom's parents are old friends with the groundskeeper, made me remember what it was like being a horse-crazy girl. Those were the most rewarding, tough, and life-changing years of my life.

I remember begging my parents to go on the pony rides at the fair at a very young age. It wasn't until I was about 6 when I realized that I wanted to be around horses for the rest of my life. Thanks to me, my best friend, Emily, also caught the horse-bug. Our neighbors, who had Haflingers, POA's, and shetlands, gave us our first taste in horse ownership, riding skills, and horse handling skills. When Emily and I were on the bus to and from school, we would plan on getting our own horses together. We had it all mapped out as to what breed, color, size, and where we would put them. Unfortunately it didn't work out that way and she got a horse before I did and she had it until it died. I got one eventually, then sold him. I know that he is still with the people who bought him, and they are very happy with him, so that makes me very happy. When I was 14, my grandma let a horse dealer board his horses on her farmland and he let me dink around with them as long as I was careful. I rode my bike there as often as the weather permitted and went in amongst the herd, eventually gaining their trust and making them more used to human contact. One young sorrel mare that I had a connection with I named "Honey" and she would whinny and come up to me whenever she saw me coming on the road. She was a yearling when she arrived and she was a little wild, but I eventually won her over; she was sent to a trainer a couple years later who almost ruined her. For a few days, I was the only one who could approach her without running away. The next year, she had a beautiful baby colt and I was so proud of her!

Amongst the great memories are also bad ones. My obsession with horses made me a walking target in middle school and I was bullied by some of my classmates. They would torment me, saying that they were going to shoot all the horses, let them loose to fend for themselves, or send them all to slaughter. Unfortunately, one year, there was a shooting at my Grandma's property, but it had nothing to do with any of the harrassing people. Those were the worst and that wasn't everything, but I got through it, and today, I am working with horses for a living.

Watching these kids that come in for lessons brings me great joy that I get to share my love and knowledge of horses with them. The little girl I met today told me that she wants to be a "horsey-girl" when she grows up and her parents are supportive of her despite being from town. I hope they continue to help her follow her dreams and follow the right path to being a responsible, respectful young woman-whether she stays with horses or not. I wish the same for all of the students who come into the barn to ride and enjoy the horses.