Friday, July 5
Jul. 6th, 2024 01:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gottawonderToday I am grateful for:
Beautiful summer weather. Very sunny and warm.
I chose to stay home today, though I could have gone to audit more stuff with the horse trainer, Patrick. He is working with the rescue horses today, but I have my own session with him tomorrow, and then the show on Sunday, and the farewell supper. So, Saturday and Sunday of full days being very busy.
I felt like I probably just needed to rest, and likely so does River, since I worked with him three days in a row this week.
So, I got a good night's rest, which I needed.
Then I got up, and talked to Trainwreck, which was pretty unsatisfying as usual. I was being very positive and happy and talking about the cool stuff we were doing at the riding barn, and right away she goes to "it really sounds like you and your husband are living separate lives, since he's not interested in horses". Well. I shut that shit down right away. I told her pretty clearly that my husband actually comes to the barn with me a lot, he stays sometimes and watches us work, and sometimes he uses the barn as a starting or ending point for his bike rides. That he knows R and her husband well, and attends a lot of the social events.
I mean, I KNOW I told Trainwreck about the two of us going to the Love of Liberty fundraiser together, right? And that my husband came with me for the Raku day event (not a barn thing, but something we do together).
Again, it's possible that I don't talk a lot about how he comes with me for things with Trainwreck, because I know that when I talk about the riding barn she says she's not interested in horse stuff, could we talk about...umm.. I don't know. How sick she is all the time?
So, anyhow, I told her loud and clear that my husband certainly IS involved in what I do at the riding barn.
Then, at some point, she asks me how old River (my horse at the barn) is, and I say "he's 19". Right away, I know that what she is getting at, is why on Earth would anyone put this much effort and training into a horse that age?
So, again I feel like I have to explain/defend my life choices. First, he wasn't old when I got him. He was 11, which is a really nice age. I've just had him for about 8 years now, and you know what? Horses get old. I'm not going to get rid of him to just put my time and energy into a new horse, because then what would I do with River?
He is quite sound, is in good shape overall, and the only thing we struggle with is his breathing issues, which are worse when it is hot and dusty, or if there is smoke in the air. That means that for about 8 months of the year, his breathing is great. Yes, he is somewhat lazy in our work, but I also understand that this is partly because I don't really bring enough of my own energy to the table, because River has PLENTY of energy in the pasture play fighting with his friends, and I see that he can bring more energy to his work when R works with him. The laziness is from how I work with him, and that's something I need to work on.
River is in good shape for his age. He has a decent topline, he doesn't have any arthritis, I keep up with his teeth, he has no problem maintaining his weight, and his hooves are great. I might get ten years more riding with him, if I keep maintaining him.
At the end of it all, what I get out of all of this training and work, isn't about ending up with nothing but an old horse. I get physical stimulation and challenge, a group of people to socialize with, something to do with my time, a good horse to work with all this time (and in the end, all of us perish, so that's the natural path of every horse, is an old/deceased horse), and a ton of positive experiences to cherish.
So, not a great conversation.
Then she talked about how sick she was for a while. Since that's what her reality is.
Then I talked with Sister E for a while, and at least she wanted to talk about the positive things in my life, and I talked to her about them getting ready to go for their summer getaway to a nice local lake where they usually rent a cabin for a few days.
I had put everyone out into their pastures while I was on the phone, and when I was done, I worked with Dandy and Wonder in the round pen.
Dandy had good connection with me today, he's staying with my very well.
Wonder was very guarded about her Right side, and didn't want to follow me on that side. I've wondered about her vision, so maybe she feels vulnerable on that side of her body. She's in her mid 20's now, so it could be.
After some fairly strenuous effort on her part (because she kept leaving, I had to keep sending her out on the circle), she finally came in and followed on that side. Hopefully she'll remember that and this won't be something we have to repeat.
Then I put the water on the garden, and weeded. I got a fair bit of weeding done.
My Sweetie came home and we talked about his plans for tomorrow. The friend he went to visit for biking is coming here tomorrow morning, and they are going to clean up the barn and get it ready for new hay bales, since I asked my sweetie to do that for me, and if the bales ready to be picked up, they'll go do that (though I'm pretty sure they won't be ready). Then they'll go ride bikes (the real reason for the visit).
We watched "IF", which was meh. It's a kid's movie, and the premise is okay, but the plot is full of holes and a little thin.
Beautiful summer weather. Very sunny and warm.
I chose to stay home today, though I could have gone to audit more stuff with the horse trainer, Patrick. He is working with the rescue horses today, but I have my own session with him tomorrow, and then the show on Sunday, and the farewell supper. So, Saturday and Sunday of full days being very busy.
I felt like I probably just needed to rest, and likely so does River, since I worked with him three days in a row this week.
So, I got a good night's rest, which I needed.
Then I got up, and talked to Trainwreck, which was pretty unsatisfying as usual. I was being very positive and happy and talking about the cool stuff we were doing at the riding barn, and right away she goes to "it really sounds like you and your husband are living separate lives, since he's not interested in horses". Well. I shut that shit down right away. I told her pretty clearly that my husband actually comes to the barn with me a lot, he stays sometimes and watches us work, and sometimes he uses the barn as a starting or ending point for his bike rides. That he knows R and her husband well, and attends a lot of the social events.
I mean, I KNOW I told Trainwreck about the two of us going to the Love of Liberty fundraiser together, right? And that my husband came with me for the Raku day event (not a barn thing, but something we do together).
Again, it's possible that I don't talk a lot about how he comes with me for things with Trainwreck, because I know that when I talk about the riding barn she says she's not interested in horse stuff, could we talk about...umm.. I don't know. How sick she is all the time?
So, anyhow, I told her loud and clear that my husband certainly IS involved in what I do at the riding barn.
Then, at some point, she asks me how old River (my horse at the barn) is, and I say "he's 19". Right away, I know that what she is getting at, is why on Earth would anyone put this much effort and training into a horse that age?
So, again I feel like I have to explain/defend my life choices. First, he wasn't old when I got him. He was 11, which is a really nice age. I've just had him for about 8 years now, and you know what? Horses get old. I'm not going to get rid of him to just put my time and energy into a new horse, because then what would I do with River?
He is quite sound, is in good shape overall, and the only thing we struggle with is his breathing issues, which are worse when it is hot and dusty, or if there is smoke in the air. That means that for about 8 months of the year, his breathing is great. Yes, he is somewhat lazy in our work, but I also understand that this is partly because I don't really bring enough of my own energy to the table, because River has PLENTY of energy in the pasture play fighting with his friends, and I see that he can bring more energy to his work when R works with him. The laziness is from how I work with him, and that's something I need to work on.
River is in good shape for his age. He has a decent topline, he doesn't have any arthritis, I keep up with his teeth, he has no problem maintaining his weight, and his hooves are great. I might get ten years more riding with him, if I keep maintaining him.
At the end of it all, what I get out of all of this training and work, isn't about ending up with nothing but an old horse. I get physical stimulation and challenge, a group of people to socialize with, something to do with my time, a good horse to work with all this time (and in the end, all of us perish, so that's the natural path of every horse, is an old/deceased horse), and a ton of positive experiences to cherish.
So, not a great conversation.
Then she talked about how sick she was for a while. Since that's what her reality is.
Then I talked with Sister E for a while, and at least she wanted to talk about the positive things in my life, and I talked to her about them getting ready to go for their summer getaway to a nice local lake where they usually rent a cabin for a few days.
I had put everyone out into their pastures while I was on the phone, and when I was done, I worked with Dandy and Wonder in the round pen.
Dandy had good connection with me today, he's staying with my very well.
Wonder was very guarded about her Right side, and didn't want to follow me on that side. I've wondered about her vision, so maybe she feels vulnerable on that side of her body. She's in her mid 20's now, so it could be.
After some fairly strenuous effort on her part (because she kept leaving, I had to keep sending her out on the circle), she finally came in and followed on that side. Hopefully she'll remember that and this won't be something we have to repeat.
Then I put the water on the garden, and weeded. I got a fair bit of weeding done.
My Sweetie came home and we talked about his plans for tomorrow. The friend he went to visit for biking is coming here tomorrow morning, and they are going to clean up the barn and get it ready for new hay bales, since I asked my sweetie to do that for me, and if the bales ready to be picked up, they'll go do that (though I'm pretty sure they won't be ready). Then they'll go ride bikes (the real reason for the visit).
We watched "IF", which was meh. It's a kid's movie, and the premise is okay, but the plot is full of holes and a little thin.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-10 10:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-11 06:36 am (UTC)She projects her own issues and views and negativity onto everyone else, and then gets offended when you correct her, because your life and choices aren't awful.
Not every conversation is like this with her, but she's not an easy person.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-14 03:22 am (UTC)