Yesterday was my day as a full-time employee at the job I've had for almost seven years. Yesterday was the end of being there for the horses and people I have been there for on a day to day basis for almost seven years. Many of those horses and people have already left for new barns, some of which I have been friends with since 2004, and cared for their horses for almost as long. I'm not trying to be depressing, but I have been feeling like I'm slowly disintegrating this week. To those that left: I wish you all the very best and will miss you dearly. To those that are staying: I am so glad you are all staying as a tightly knit group. To all of you: You and your horses will remain in my heart forever, and once I have completely removed myself from there in the next month or so, I will miss you ALL dearly, and never hesitate to call me for anything you might need. You are ALL my family, long-time boarder or new; old or young; student, non-student, all of my own students, family and friends... I love you all, and as a certain wonderful woman and horseperson taught ALL of us: Over it or through it, and ride high.
I promise that's all the tear-jerky stuff. I think.
I start my new job on Monday; an awesome dressage/eventing barn has hired me to teach beginners and do some chores, grooming and exercising, and I'm very excited. I always loved going to shows at this barn with Marco, and am looking forward to using their facilities to get Too in tip top shape when I move her there, hopefully in the next three to four weeks. My new bosslady (NBL from here on out!) is a very sweet woman, a great horseperson, and I am looking forward to working for her. She goes to a lot of shows and does a lot of clinics, which I am fully looking forward to, at least for as long as I have Too. I've decided to definitely sell her in the next year or so, a decision which is made a lot easier since I'm pretty sure I have an awesome home lined up for her; she is technically on layaway right now.
Benny went to his new home on Monday, and I think he and I will have a great time there, once he's settled in. Some friends offered him a place at their private farm, which I am so grateful for. They are enjoying having him around, and say he is being very sweet to them and "quite a gentleman." He wasn't much of a gentleman this morning when we had our first ride there; he exhibited the first spell of buddy sour jackassyness in about seven and a half years, but by the end of the ride, he was focused on me and being pretty good. He is being pastured with what is probably his first ever Arabian buddy, a little flea-bitten gray gelding named Zaki. Zaki could care less about Benny the first couple of days, but now they're pretty good buddies. Which, as today proved, is both good and bad. I'm sure it won't take long for Ben to remember he has much more sense than that.
It is a beautiful little farm.
Making Zaki's aquaintance...
The first day when Zaki was still on the other side of the fence and ignoring him... Benny was not happy with that!
The next day, in the pasture WITH Zaki, and still being ignored.
Pretty good pals, now.
I'm looking forward to finally having MY horse back again. He made me so proud taking care of his little girls, but he has paid his dues and deserves a rest, with his mom occasionally sitting on him and bossing him around. Perhaps when he settles a bit more, he'll be good for the lady babysitter to ride, as Zaki, who is her usual mount, can be a little unpredictable, and as she's a little older, could probably enjoy something more trustworthy.
Which brings me to my next bit: I'll be riding Zaki a lot to try to help get him to where she CAN trust him more. He has been known to spook at a white flower in a tree, and spin and take off minus his human. I rode him today...it was interesting. We put my saddle on him first, and he bucked like a banshee for a few minutes (helloooo, where's my eight second buzzer and applause, people?). When he calmed down, I walked him for a second, dismounted, and we put his normal saddle on. It didn't fit me very well (what saddle does?) and the stirrups were too long on the shortest hole, so we rode in the round pen instead of out in the field, and he eventually settled down. He and I will be doing a lot of circles, serps, and transitions; anything to teach him to focus more on the rider than his surroundings. Riding Benny with him being so upset and distracted over being away from his new buddies at the beginning made me wonder if a lot of Zaki's random spook-and-runs aren't just insecurities, as he's closely bonded with the mare that man babysitter rides. We will see...
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