Sunday, January 03, 2010

Up again!

This was scary. I came home and found that the post office had not delivered, because nobody was home to sign for .... a registered letter..... for me. Who is sending a registered letter to me? Last time we got one of those, it was for Dave who was being deposed. This feeds in to my mailphobia. I have never heard of anyone else being afraid of the mail. Some days I just can't bring myself to look in the box. I used to have to leave the room when Dave looked at the mail. I'm getting better.
I had to stew over my registered letter until the P.O. opened the next day. It was garment labels. I ordered them and seller wanted to know for sure that I received them. Phew!
My harness came. I decided to wait to try it on. New Year's Day brought all the yahoos out. With over 200 boarded horses, we have our share. The turnout of regular good people was also high. There were dogs, on leashes, but often the leash holder was about 5 yrs old. Lots of the dogs were not horse wise. Many of them in their new Christmas togs, like the pugs in full camo attire. Lots of the kids were not horse wise. In fact, lots of the adults were not either. They were friends and family, out for a fun horsey kind of day. There were 4 little girls with new ponies and the WHOLE FAMILY came and brought friends. People who crowd around the horse like flies on a scab. There was even someone riding in bathroom slippers. And Then..... a beginner rider/owner, sans helmet, reached down for an infant someone passed to her. She sat the baby on the cantle and held her on for a tour of the back lane. Can we get an ambulance on standby? I chose this day as one to NOT try anything new. Whatever happens, it's not my fault.

Today Janow wore part of his new harness. The crupper did not gain me any points in the popularity polls. He decided to live with it. I walked him, then lunged him briefly. At the first trot steps, he clamped his tail down hard. Then he just got on with it.

I took my saddle in to have new billets put on. When I got it back, I had forgotten where I put my leathers and irons, and my girth. It took me three days to find them. In the process I filled up half the recycling can.


Kathy took my picture. Janow was so focused on me that he would not take his ears off me. Kathy finally got one ear. I didn't think it was important to have his ears forward but Kathy was doing me a favor so I just let her do it.

Silver had her toenails clipped. It took two people! She held a grudge for two days. She would not eat anything while I was looking. I gave her raisins. She had a lapse of willpower and ate them. Then she would not eat anything else. She is fine now.

4 comments:

OnTheBit said...

Janow looks great with some of his harness on! He also didn't look particularly thrilled about it. The pictures of you on him are great as well. As for boarding with that many people...I don't think there is anyway I could be happy at your barn. We have 2 boarders at Gen's barn and 6 at Phoenix's and even that seems like a lot of personalities at some times! I can't wait to hear more about how your driving is going!

Unknown said...

Boy, you're being tough on those animals - a harness and nail clipping already! Poor babies! LOL

Sounds like a scary day at the barn, indeed. Won't the horses be glad when February comes around and the newness wears off...

Unknown said...

With that many boarders on so many time schedules, conflicts are rare. If you don't like somebody, you hang out with somebody else. There are too many people for us-vs-them to sustain. So many say it is the friendliest place they have boarded. Twice a year Terri organizes the most fantastic tack swaps. save lots of $$

d. moll, l.ac. said...

Janow looks great in the harness from what I can see. I can imagine that a crupper would feel a bet funny.....Mail. LOL I'm like that with the phone (well, sometimes).