HHW: Day 3 – The Grand Fizzle

The final plan for my for my Horse Hunt Weekend [HHP] was to drive one state east to look at a horse a friend had kindly tried out. Some of the age/breed/price variables were not ideal but I was up for the road trip because
a) I have no idea what I want.
b) Mark Todd says you should try every horse.
c) This one came pre-checked, so it was less a shot in the dark than most.

I was due to pick up the rental car on Monday morning, but by Sunday afternoon the trip still had not come together in all its particulars. My life is too cumbersome to leave at the last minute, so we bailed. Being unable to spiff off on a whim should make me feel vital & necessary. Mostly, it makes me feel insufficiently organized.

Plus, still I’m sick from Wednesday. Horse shopping requires energy, enthusiasm, optimism, & other vowel-oriented words. I, on the other hand, am gacking, sneezing, whinging & filling the space around me with uncomfortable, spiky-consonantated mannerisms.

So. After after four days and three trainers, I have tried 0 horses. I have a promising nibble from the in-state, out-of-town trainer [Day 2], but I had hoped for so much more. Is it any wonder I get a little worried about my bad karma with this project?

Horse Hunt posts

HHW: Day 2 – What Do I Want?

Sunday was our day to chat with a trainer from another part of the state [HHP]. She very sensibly asked what I was looking for. Ultimately, I am looking for a horse. Right now, I would settle for a short answer to that question.

The one thing the poor woman didn’t want was my life history. Unfortunately, that is exactly what I spewed out. I was wearing a Rolex hat, so I found myself going back to the purchase of Previous Horse and explaining his lack of interest in eventing. That was 23 years ago. No matter how much one consolidates, a story that spills into three decades is too long.

What she wanted to hear was:
A talented young horse that I can bring along.
or
A reliable older horse that can pack me around.

Both is not an option.

The only fully correct answer is
I dunno.
Start here.
Read to here.
Then you tell me what I’m looking for.

When you horse (cat, dog, spouse) shopped, did you go after a list of specific attributes or did you know the right one when you met?
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Gratuitous Kitten Pic
Cat shaming or an object lesson in getting the groceries put away immediately?
BTW, the chicken pieces are for Senior Cat, so no harm done.

Horse Hunt Weekend: Day 1

Saturday, we were scheduled to see a local horse [HHP]. The seller wasn’t scheduled to show us said local horse. I accept that crossed wires occur. A reasonable answer might have been, “When I hadn’t heard from you, I made the assumption that you were no longer interested in —–. I have made other plans. Can we get together on X day instead?” This was not the tone in which the seller chose to respond. To my mind, showing a horse does not constitute an onerous favor granted by the seller. Plus, this is the second time the seller has been too busy to show us the horse. Rationally, I know that the attitude of a seller has no bearing once the check is signed. If you can survive the experience, buying from Crazy Eddie makes no difference than buying from Zelda Zen. However, I am only human. If I am going to shovel boatloads of money into another person’s pocket, I don’t want to have to chase that person down and force my money on them. Grumble. Grumble.

Britches & gloves.
I shall debut in brown.
When things go bad yet again, I start to wonder if it’s time to call a halt to the whole horse idea and take up, I dunno, LEGO? Pinball? Hubby says my words do not match my actions. He will be more willing to believe that I want to give up horses once I stop spending money at tack stores.

Care to share your happy & serendipitous horse shopping story to cheer me up?

Horse Hunt posts
Saddleseat posts, especially show announcement
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Gratuitous Kitten Pic

Kittens using my purchases for a pre-nap, mutual grooming.

Out Of Our Hands

Mathilda has decided to change her lifestyle. We were slow to get the message, so she took action.

At the Thursday morning carrot check, Hubby was greeted with an empty pen, the barriers in place [Debriefing], mare & gelding calmly eating grass out in the pasture. He came back to the house, to fish me out of bed, so that we could both stare slack-jawed. Everything was in place. No broken rails [Jailbreak]. One perfectly functioning pen, just minus one mare. How did she get out? A locked stall mystery. Jumping over the top rail would have been impossible on her best day, so we figure she got down on her hands & knees and limboed under the bottom rail.

She really, really wants to be out in the field. We have decided we had better let her. When my Grandmother was ailing, she had several habits that were contraindicated by her doctors. I consoled myself with a) everyone has a right to make their own life choices & b) being stubborn got her past her 90th birthday, so who am I to argue with success? Similarly, Mathilda is more likely hurt herself frolicking with Rodney but she is far happier. How do we balance her mental versus physical needs when they are in conflict? We want to envelop her in bubble wrap. She wants to be a horse. Plus, being stubborn got her to 28, so who are we to argue with success?

We are building up to full turnout for both at the same time. It may take us a while to wrap our minds around the idea. However, we better be quick about it, or she will take matters into her own hooves again.

Late breaking news: Hubby just came back from the barn. They are out in the field. Rodney is napping. Mathilda is standing guard. Our herd is behaving like a herd. That has to be good for both of them.
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Gratuitous Kitten Pic

Must. Subdue. String.

Horse Hunt Plans

A short note as I am busy enjoying the bug Hubby bought home from work.

Saturday, we try a local horse.
Sunday, we visit with a trainer from another part of the state.
Tuesday, I try out an out-of-state horse found by a friend.
Ever-widening circles.

Meanwhile, I will retreat under the covers to enjoy the adventures of Kvothe & to gack my lungs out. I know, TMI.

Have winter ailments hit your household yet?
Horse Hunt posts
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Gratuitous Kitten Pic

Political Poll

I am not asking who you voted for. I’m not even asking if you voted. When I was old enough to start noticing the outside world, I asked my mother who she voted for. She wouldn’t tell me. One of the virtues of our system is that you never have to tell anyone for whom you voted. As an early political message, it stayed with me.

However, my everpresent quest for content made me think about horses and politics. It seems to me that, barring Mrs. Romney’s Olympic horse, the riding world as a group is not heavily invested in the political world, at least on the national level. We can get invested in local issues, such as the developments, or lack thereof, in Wellington, FL.

The obliviousness of the horse world can be frustrating. During one of the big-time hunter/jumper winter shows in Tampa, area residents were under drought restrictions: no car washing, limited lawn watering, etc. Not only were people at the show hosing their horses but they were leaving the hose running with no horse in the washstall. In their defense, no signage anywhere alerted folks to the water shortage nor asked folks to conserve water.

Of course, the horse world is all about internal politics: local association snipefests, warring breed associations, national association power games, and so on up the ladder.

Is your section of the horse world involved with/interested in/cognizant of general politics? How does that compare to other sectors of your life: church, law firm, bowling league, reading club, et al.?
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Gratuitous Kitten Pic

Ghost Kitty snuggles up to a pile of warm dog.