Thursday, October 24, 2013

A Little Update

My goodness, how time flies when you're having fun.....and even when you're not.

Update on DirecTV issues:  they took back that big credit on the next bill. So I never paid anything more, sent back their box and remote, and have never heard from them again. So, done with that. Will never sign another long-term contract with any service company again.

So all year I have been working at the horse farm at the end of our lane as stable hand. Basically I clean the stalls, don't transfer the horses in and out, or feed them. Once in a while I help hand out "flakes" of hay, but the main tasks are done by the owner and the young lady  hired at the end of summer. Don't enter the occupied stalls since I was kicked in the hip by a young foal who was just shy of a year old as I was cleaning her stall and the owner came along and gave her her bowl of grain. Had been doing this for several weeks with no problem, then out of the blue, she decides she needs to tell me I better not touch her food. The owner said she had accepted me as just another horse and that is what they do to each other. Very territorial over their food. So I guess I should consider it a compliment, right?

I was very shocked at the time, mostly because I'd just been loving on her before the grain came along. She was so funny, would keep coming up and getting in my face asking to be petted, then she would go to the muck bucket and act like she was going to dump it over and look at me as if to say, "Do you dare me?" I'd say, "Don't even think about it," and she would walk away. Adorable.

I realize that I should conquer any fear and go right back in, but definitely not while they are eating their grain. Not a good idea. A few times I have gone in with another pony or horse to put water in their bucket, but mostly I just do empty stalls. I'm satisfied with loving on them from outside the stall.

I do love it; partly because it is a no-brainer after a career of decision making and responsibility, but mostly because of the beautiful creatures that I am working around. I've loved horses all my life, dreamed of owning some but it just never happened. Now I get to be around them, love on them and give them attention, but with none of the expense or responsibility. And I'm getting much needed exercise. It doesn't get much better than that.