Weekend Blunder

So this weekend the weather in our little nook of Oregon finally broke from the single digits, and made it into the 40's and 50's. Unusual for January, but it was an unusually freezing December so guess this is our reward for surviving the flash freeze that came and never left.

On that note, I was able to resume my lesson schedules for horses. Saturday was my Monday. Left the house early to take care of a family friends dogs, then drove all the way out to Union to the arena for the lesson. Horses were so muddy that I just helped them groom for an hour before doing anything. Didn't mind as I didn't have any lesson but theirs. It was a group lesson with two pre-teen girls. They did very well once we got going but the new horse found me not paying 100% attention and nailed me right in the knee with his steel shoe. Hurt but so used to them trying in the beginning of training so was already correcting him by the time I realized he had actually got me.

I got over it, it's part of my job description and I wear the bruise with pride for my job. It started to swell a little that night so I did the Deswelling Technique I use on horses with swelling (my massage training) and by the next morning it wasn't hardly a bruised, and there was NO heat and swelling. Score for the DT!

But same thing Sunday morning. Ran into La Grande to feed dogs, then back out to the house to grab my trailer, pack a lunch and get ready to leave for my long day. Second lesson texted me with the flu! Break for me! So I shoved my first lesson to the second slot and gave myself more time to get ready. Caught the two horses I needed at the gate, so didn't have to trudge through mud and muck to get them, but the third horse, my mothers, who was going to be ridden by a friend to put some miles on her, wouldn't be caught for her LIFE!!! I wanted to shoot her. I was covered in mud, soaked from the rain, and was so worked up I was crying. Keep in mind this horse is going to be my death. Her and I DON'T get along and she screws with 'my' horses pecking order. She is a waste of food in my opinion. Ok reality, she's not a bad horse, just needs someone who's petite and can ride a young, inexperienced horse, confidently, and get miles under her feet. Still hated her. Met up with my friend late, with no horse, so let her ride my reining horse for a bit before my first lesson arrived. First lesson went off without a hitch, luckily. Second lesson was with a new student, would have gone off fine, she did great, but two boarders showed up with their unruly mares and set my mare off that I had tied up near the gate. They were letting them roll within yards of a tied up horse. She was asleep until they got there. So she started pawing and getting nervous and popping up on her front feet. She DID NOT pull back even once, just was really fidgety. Made the barn owner cranky that she was being cranky, because the ladies complained that she was "in their way." So he smacked her on the butt with his hat to "move her" without ANY warning to her. I always give my horses a chance to do what I ask them to do, before smacking them. He was worried she would kick him or them so his remedy was standing directly behind her and whacking her on the ass with his hat. Intelligent eh? Luckily she jumped sideways and didn't kick. She knows better than to kick but you never know when they are surprised like that. Then about 10 seconds later he unties her WITHOUT ASKING ME and she stood very quiet and still while he did this, and then he proceeded to WHACK HER on the tip of her nose as hard as he could. I couldn't hold it in after that. In the middle of my lesson I yelled HEY and stomped over to grab her from him. He was leading her away somewhere and was jerking on her halter. Not sure why as she was following him like a puppy without him having to drag her or her drag him so I was pissed off. You do not treat my horses with that little respect when they are giving you their utmost respect. The only time I jerk, whack, discipline, move their feet with major hustle etc... is if they are not behaving, being rude, disrespectful or are lacking attention I am demanding. I was BOILING. She is a very nice mare who 99% of the time is near perfect behavior.

She stood ground tied during the remainder of the lesson while I walked around her and away from her. She returned to her snooze. I felt terrible for the student who was NOT getting my undivided attention that they pay for. Then near the end of her lesson 3 more people/horses showed up. I was very unhappy, considering I was the only one who called ahead to "reserve" the arena, like the rules state. It should have been mine free and clear of any other people until 3pm.

My last lesson was terrible. The poor just turned 6 year old had a terrible time focusing on her lesson with now 6 other horses around. I was always in someones way at that point and getting glared at. I couldn't lose my cool in front of a kid (always a role model! Keep that in mind folks). Luckily she still felt she learned something, the mom didn't mind, and I charged them for 15 minutes less than I gave for the trouble.

Then, happy as hell to be leaving, I load the horses up and walk around the trailer to find I have a flat tire. Not just low, FLAT. I about broke down again at this point. My day had been one long nightmare that was not ending. Had to ask the barn owner for a tire iron that would fit my trailer as my 4 point one got removed from my truck somehow and only had one to fit the truck in there. Changed my spare on (note to everyone, when you change your tires from road to stud or back again, or just fill them up with air, ALWAYS FILL YOUR SPARE!) Luckily I live by this rule so my spare was all blown up and ready to go. Got it on and got the hell out of dodge. But, my day was far from over.

Dropped the horses/trailer off at home, then back out to Cove for a meeting at the local NARHA riding facility being started. I am donating some massage services to their service horses on an "as needed" basis. The only male, and owner of the property, seemed skeptical of me. Probably thought I wanted a bunch of money out of the deal. He warmed up a little after I told them donation/volunteer. The 4 women were wonderful. However I was put on the spot the entire meeting with tons of questions about what I do, what it can help etc... They were just curious but wanted my services anyways. They were all really nice. They also had lots of questions about my lessons. I tried to be polite the entire hour as I love discussing massage and lessons, but my bones were shivering. The room wasn't cold (not warm either) but after standing in the wind all day and weather I was chilled to the bone. It was hard to speak without my voice shaking from my spine shivering. I had to explain I wasn't actually "cold" right then, it was just sunk all the way through.

Got home and collapsed. I was so tired. I took a long hot shower and warmed up and ate a hot dinner and watched a good movie with the family. Luckily it ended well! Didn't have to feed the munchkin dogs as their family got home. Just happy I didn't have to drive back to town again. I live central to Cove, La Grande and Union so every time I go to any of them it's a drive, especially going from one of them to another one of them!