Tis the Season... For Stinkers!

If you have every worked in retail, you will appreciate how difficult this time of year is.  The mall parking lot is CRAZY so instead of leaving the standard time to get to work on time, tack on 30 extra minutes or even an hour just in case.

It seems like every customer I encounter has the Christmas Spirit, but I still get some stinkers.  The ones who are stinkers are usually the kind of people who think the world owes them something.

We were so busy last Saturday that it wouldn't surprise me one bit that we sold out of a product.  I had a gentleman call the store around 7 p.m. on Saturday asking to purchase something over the phone.  The product he wanted to buy was sold out... but he INSISTED we still had some in our store because there was NO WAY we could have sold all TWO in 6 hours.  I went on to explain to him it was a very popular product and we have always had trouble keeping them in our store.  Not good enough, he went on and on how he spends so much money at our store and how could we do this to him.  He started naming off random names of people who also spend "thousands" of dollars at our store.

Was he trying to get my sympathy?  There was nothing I could do because we had nothing in stock.  After I calmly told him that one more time he got pretty mad and called me a liar... and some other things... nice huh?  I finally got the chance to look up what store in our district did have the product and asked if he wanted me to give him their phone number.  He did take it, then started explaining why he had gotten so mad.  At that point I was done with him so I gave him the phone number, wished him a happy holiday and got the hell off the phone... I had a handful of calls like that on one of our busiest Saturdays so I was pretty beaten when I got home.   What was the "had to have right now" product??? A Truffle Shaver....

I just wish people would take a breath, relax, and try to enjoy Christmas for once.  SO next time you are shopping and are annoyed with the store or the person helping you... take a breath and kill them with kindness.

You don't know if they just had a stinker and are trying to come back down from the anger adrenaline you get when dealing with a person like that.  You may even brighten their day and help them get back their holiday spirit.

Where is my white winter!?

I love snow.  I want snow!  My pet peeve is when people complain about getting snow or when it is getting "cold"...You live in WISCONSIN!  Get over it.

Everything is better when it snows, the ground is much prettier.

So everyone... Think Snow!  SO we can get rid of the mud and have some fun! WooHoo!

Plus, Georgia is super dirty now because of all the mud... I would like that to change.

Dreaming... useless dreaming

When is it time to give up on your dream.  When you have been rejected twice, three times or fifteen?  What if you have never really given it your best try, really given your dream the fighting chance it deserved.

When does a dream become unrealistic or unreasonable, when someone from the outside looking is says it is?

If someone tells you over and over again that it is impossible, it becomes impossible.  That should make you chase your dream even more.  Push you to chase it down and hold it in your hands so tight so it would never escape you.

Not a lot of people ever catch their dreams... the reasons for that may not be the same but the outcome is.  Broken hearts and broken dreams litter the ground.  The let down is always the same, huge, no matter how big or small the dream was.

So now what, now the the dream has left you in the dust.  You have outgrown your dream, even though you are only 24.  Past your prime, some people say, to have a dream like that.  Its time to find a new one, one that is "realistic" for who you are or where you are in your life.

Thats stupid...the point of having a dream is to make the impossible become possible.

Remember, having hope is different than having a dream.  Even though they walk hand in hand, they are still two very different concepts.

My dream was never to graduate with a bachelors degree or to work my ass off at a store in the mall just so people can assume I am stupid.  The fact is I am smarter than most of the customers who walk through those doors and the only comfort I get from their arrogance is the fact that I know I will be more successful than they ever will be.

It was to have a career that completely revolved around horses.  Some people think that is stupid, that I am just a crazy horse girl.  The truth of the matter is that you need to be tough as nails to be successful in the equine world.  I know I'm tough enough, I just don't have the funds to make it happen.

I altered that dream so I could get married and someday have a family.  I fill the emptiness of never reaching that dream with school, work, and time with my own horse.  Slowly I am realizing I will never really fill that empty feeling with anything but what is suppose to be there, a career with horses.

Its too late now.  I am "too old" to be starting a career as a trainer and I don't have the money to fund that kind of operation.  I've poured too much money into school to back out now... So what now?

School, work, and Georgia will have to be my substitute... My husband will always support me in whatever I want to do but my feeling to do "what is best" will always overcome my overwhelming feeling to follow my dream.

Its not going to happen for me... I can only blame myself.

I guess I will just have to put my whole heart into something I never really wanted, a career that never even crossed my mind until this last year.

My only hope now, not dream, is that my career will help me make enough money so I can feed my need to keep horses in my life.  I will forever Work to Live and will never Live to Work...

Great

Winter Coats

Georgia is getting her winter coat.  She now looks like a dirty marshmallow.

Surprisingly she has stayed out of the mud for the most part unlike ALL the other horses at the farm.

migraines and a fun fact

Migraines are awful.  I currently have one, so this posting will be short and sweet.  I get them all the time and they last for at least 2 days.  I try to function when I have one, but today it was really hard.  I could feel my headache getting worse and worse with every annoying customer that came into the store.

It is starting to get better but that is just because I had to take my hardcore medicine tonight, so my head is in a fog.  I went to go fill my prescription at Walgreens so I could shake this migraine and usually it takes at least 30 min to fill but I think the pharmacist took pity on me and did it right away.

Nothing interesting to write about Georgia tonight.  I didn't get a chance to see her today but I will be out there tomorrow morning when I do chores.


Fun Fact:  The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases. 

Blessed are those who are flexible.....

Blessed are those who are flexible, for they will never get bent out of shape...

I thrive on a structures schedule, but that doesn't mean I can't roll with the punches.  Every week I worry about whether or not I will get all  my homework done, whether I will be able to pay all my bills along with the constant worry of the unexpected.

Georgia has had so many unexpected accidents that I get anxious when she hasn't had one for awhile.  She has either gotten cut, pulled a shoe, gotten bit, or has had a terrible allergy attack.  

Having a horse is defiantly an adventure.  The weather plays a huge role every morning we do chores.  Today it was too wet, cold, and windy for them to go outside.  Whenever it is windy outside, horses always act a little more skittish than usual just because they can hear so much going on.  Even though we have an indoor arena the wind still finds its way into the barn and the rain sneaks through the cracks.  As we cleaned the stalls this morning, we let two or three horses into the arena so they could still move around for awhile.

When it was finally Georgia's turn to go play, she was ready.  She has gotten into the habit of shooting out of her stall door to go play, whenever someone opens the door.  I had not witnessed this, but I was told that is how she has been acting.

I walked into her stall, put her halter on and opened the door.  She must behave differently around me because I didn't have a problem with her taking off.  As soon as I let go of her, thats when it happened.  She lunged forward towards the other end of the arena, bucking all the way down.  I though for sure she was going to peel one of her brand new shoes off her front feet.  "Be careful!" I yelled to her, but that didn't slow her down.

She turned the corner to come back towards me at full speed.  At moments like that I am always glad I hashed out an exit route just in case it was necessary.  I jumped into her stall and slid the door shut just enough so she would realize she was way to big to get through.

Being the kind of girl she is, she stopped just in time to blow dirt all over me then looked into my eyes and blow a cloud of air out of her heaving body right in my face.  I couldn't help but laugh out loud because I knew she was playing with me.  Little does she know that I am much more breakable not to mention smaller than her, and she would have crushed me.

Its good to be flexible when you are a horse owner, otherwise your blood pressure would be very high.  There are only two feelings are allowed when your around horses, patience and a sense of humor (and the occasional feeling of overwhelming love ;)  ).

 

Mirror Image

When two hindered spirits come together they can either break each other or they choose to lean on one another in order to find strength.  

Horses mirror your emotions whether they are happening in the moment or they are ones that are with you every day.  They also mirror your downfalls that you carry with you every day, the ones that make you feel weak or vulnerable.

Horses are a mirror to our souls.  I can see myself in my horse, in more ways then one.  No, that doesn't mean I physically LOOK like a horse.  I can see her dominate nature in myself because I tend to be "an alpha"person, or a leader.  If she is put into a situation that seems to be life threatening, she will take control of that situation and act, as will I.  When we are together, you can imagine the kind of conversations that go on between us.  Every time I get on my horse, we have a silent battle over who is in control that day.  I have accepted the fact that most of the time, we are a team.

Every horse is different just like every person is different.  It isn't until you really get to know a horse that you truly understand him/her.  Just like a person, they take time to get to know you as well to form any kind of bond.  Once you hold the bond between horse and human, neither time or space can overcome it.  

Miss Georgia Peach

Georgia is the white one, causing trouble. Feel free to mute my voice....I hate listening to myself.

Impulsive? Maybe

I went to see my horse today, but I didn't feel like riding.  I thought it would be fun to just play so I opened her stall door and let her into the arena.  With nothing holding her back she began to run, buck, rear, and play with me watching her and waiting for her to pull a shoe.

Never thinking ahead, I just let her have fun without thinking I should put some gear on her, to protect her from herself.  After she calmed down and started walking towards me, I thought it would be a great idea to jump on her bareback.  I had done this hundreds of times, but I had not tried it yet without her having a bridal, or any type of control up front, before.

Getting her to stand still was half the battle so I could jump onto her back.   As soon as I got up there, I instantly felt vulnerable and totally at her mercy and she KNEW it.  Walking briskly towards the big door, that was closed luckily, she knew I had no control over her head meaning I could not stop her in the traditional way.

We made it around the arena safely a couple of times.  Running into walls and making zig-zags all around the arena was occurring over and over again because I was "steering" her with my leg pressure.  Obviously it wasn't working.  I finally got us to walk counter-clockwise around the arena, which was very exciting.  As we rounded the corner and had the door to our backs, a gust of wind shook the door.

Since Georgia sometimes spooks at the squirrels in the trees, you could imagine that she thought the door was going to eat her.  With a jolt we lunged forward.

At that moment, I thought that maybe it wasn't a good idea to ride bareback, no bridal, no helmet with no one else in the barn and no cell phone to call for help if something happened.

Georgia is still running away from the killer door then she put her head down like she was about to throw a buck into the mix.  I grabbed her mane, squeezed my legs to hang on (which only spurred her on) and got ready to fall.

Impulsive?  yes I am but at least my life is never boring.

Winter is coming...

Winter is such a magical time... I really do like it a lot.  It is hard to work outside though so I am not looking forward to that.  According to the Farmer's Almanac this winter is going to be a warm, snowy one and that is what I like to hear.  Riding in the snow is something I am really looking forward to.  Georgia and I are finally at the point where we can do that without dying either from a "freak out" on her  part or from the ice (like what we had last year).

Another one of my favorite past-times is snowmobiling.  Granted my husband is a lot more into "boon-docking" than I am, I still have a great time going.  My sled can only handle trails for the most part and is about 7 feet long.  His on the other hand is built for the mountains and is 12 feet long.  He is hoping for feet of snow all winter long and I just want it to look nice.  We are planning on going together to Houghton, MI to ride the trails and we are also planning on attending a "Make a Wish" ride for breast cancer.  Hopefully I will get more time snowmobiling this year so I can do all those things.

Its the worst when "smud" takes over the roads and is all over the ground.  It doesn't look good and its a mess to clean up.

I am hoping for a white Thanksgiving, a white Christmas, and a white New Years Eve/Day.  I love snow and how it makes the ground glow at night.

Paradise

These gravel roads have not changed for over one hundred years.  As you walk on the road the aroma of fresh cut grass and alfalfa fills your head with sweet memories of summers that are long past.  The only sounds you hear are your own, the sound of your feet walking towards the field and the cleansing sign that sweeps through the air.  The field looks peaceful while a gentle breeze sways the tall grass back and forth.

 Barbed wire is stretched from post to post, repaired in some places, to keep the livestock in and other animals out.  The horses live in the pasture across the river.  Mona, Twe, and Holly Dolly Loma are the lawn ornaments; they are like big dogs that come when they are called.  The wire reaches over the river, which cuts through the bluffs and fields then disappears into an underground cave.  The cave is a part of this paradise; it is right underneath these fields that have been used to grow crops and livestock for decades.When you enter the cave you have to crawl through a small opening but when you reach the other side, it transforms into cathedral ceilings with its past painted on the walls.    Reach the bottom and you will see a small natural pond that has an aqua tint color created from the rocks and cool water.

            As the years went by there was some change, people pasted on to their new spiritual home while others simply moved away but the face of the bluffs is unchanging.  Their beautiful trees bloom every spring and turn in their green pallet for vibrant reds and oranges in the fall.  Winters are magical; the snow builds in this deep valley and makes you feel like you are in a snow globe that is shaken every few days.Time lets nothing seep through its firm cold grip.  No pity or forgiveness is granted to the one who has been loyal.  What was once a paradise for me is showing the signs of change.  The barn is loosing its vibrant red color, the old house has been re-done, and the wooden bridge was replaced by one built with concrete.    As farming came to a stop the sound of slow lowing of cattle disappeared.  The horses were still beautiful to look at but they too became a burden.  The fence post leans every which way with no repair in sight.  The vines that had overcome them restrict barbed wire and they are no longer of any use.

When I arrive on the unchanging gravel road, I look forward to finding traits of my past paradise.  The pastures, the barn and bluffs are still present but the feeling is gone.  My paradise does not exist anymore.  I desperately search for a familiar smell, a familiar feeling but Time has taken that away.  I want to freeze Time, when my paradise was blossoming and be a part of it once again. 

 

Same Stuff, Different Day

Georgia is still slowing showing signs of her demise and I am still struggling with a way to handle it.

I wanted some adventure today so I decided to ride on the road.  With no need for a saddle, I jumped onto her bare back and headed out. Needing to go up a fairly steep ditch, I gave her a friendly squeeze.  Not long after we began our incline did I feel my butt slowly moving closer and closer to HER butt.  Mid-hill I realized I was slipping off of her and I only would have myself to blame.  Putting Show-Sheen on her will be my Achilles heel for today's ride.

In a slight panic I grabbed a handful of mane, and pulled myself up.  Doing this, I unintentionally had "asked" her to go faster.  So as I squeezed and held on, she started running up this hill because she was responding to my request.

Needless to say we made it up the hill and onto the road safe and sound.  As the sound of hooves hitting cement danced in my ears, I noticed a line of trees.  Not only did I notice the line of trees, so did Georgia.  The trees were not "just trees" to her, they are there to hid the vicious animal who at any moment is going to jump out and kill her.  Now for everyone who does not know horses well a simple explination of them is, they are like deer.  They run from danger and do not stop until they phycially have to.

Riding bare back has it's advantages, including the fact that I can feel her entire body tense up, her back arch and her neck rise so far up it may have touched a cloud.  At this very moment... a squirrel jumped out of nowhere!  Yes, she felt that it had almost killed her... and me in the process.

Over all it was a nice and pleasant ride.  We can never complain and say our lives are boring, Georgia and I.  It is always an adventure and thats how we like it.

Another bump in the road

Ringbone, do you know what it is?  It has nothing to do with ring worm, although it seems like it should.  It can be an equestrian's worst nightmare and the end of the horse's career.  I Googled this condition and the top site that came up where "Ringbone-Wikipedia", "The Truth About Ringbone-HorseCannel.com", images for ringbone, "Ringbone in horses", and "Ringbone in Horses-Horse Previews Magazine".

Google has given me multiple different opinions on the same subject within 0.15 seconds.  There are a total of 91,100 results on the subject.  Not all of these results will be helpful or even relevant to what I really want to know, but they are there for me to determine and follow up as needed.

Most of the information that is in the top 10 are articles by websites focused only on horses, naturally.  If there was any information from a veterinarian, it was rooted in an article from a "horse" website or magazine.  This tells me that veterinarians are using other means of communication to reach out to their clients.

By interviewing with magazines or websites that focus on horse health these veterinarians can still talk to people on how handle this condition without ever making a farm call.  That does not mean we should no longer talk to our primary vets about the situation, we still need a proper diagnosis of what is really going on in order to correct the pain the horse is feeling.

  

A Crisp Morning

While driving to the barn every morning my tasks for the day dance through my head.  What needs to get done for school, what bills need to be paid, even how the apartment needs cleaning, again.  After parking my car I am always greeted by the farm dog.  He is small but defiantly in charge, like a little Napoleon.  Never petting him, I always say hello then go along my way.  Walking into the dark, cool barn hides the details of the horse in their stall, only the silhouette can be seen.  My mind softens and I arrive at my happy place.  I immediately visit my beloved in her stall, hearing her soft knicker warms my already tingly ears all the way to my toes.  Running my fingers through her mane and softly brushing her neck I greet her with a warm embrace.  Like an old friend she returns the favor with a kind eye and gently touches my hair with her velvet nose.

Communicating with a horse is hard to do, there are websites all over the internet that give you instructions on "How to become a Horse Whisperer".  To communicate with a horse takes a very strong bond that can only be built with time and patience.

When the wave lengths of communication become blurred between horse and rider, we immediately run to the internet.  It is interesting how dependent our culture has become on the internet to spit out an answer or resolve a conflict.  Answers to something that takes even the most talented equestrian years to accomplish.

Equestrians are beginning to forget how to find answers on their own, simply by trying or doing rather than reading.  As a result we have been flooded with information from world class trainers, do-it-yourselfers, and everyone else imaginable on how to do everything with your horse.