This week was long. And as today is Sunday, I suppose that, technically, a new week has started.
A while back I was offered a position riding horses for a couple different people in South Dakota. I’ve decided to take the job for an indefinite period of time. With diesel costing what it does, I’ve been really slow, and there, I’ll have 2-4 head more to ride each day than I ever had here, thus it’ll be a benefit to me financially; but from a career standpoint, there are less *fish in the sea* trainer-wise in South Dakota so it should benefit me that way too. I’ll be riding horses for basically two ranches, and I’ll be taking a limited number of outside horses each month. I’ll have 10-12 head to ride daily and as I’m farther north there will be a significant amount of additional daylight to allow me to do that this summer. Also, I’ll be marketing their horses through my network, and the internet and horse sales which will allow me to really use my education.
My last lessons were on Friday this week- oh, and that’s another thing, I won’t have to give lessons to make ends meet! Don’t get me wrong, I like my lessons; but if I have a choice, I’d rather just train. The girls all cried and gave me lovely going away gifts- including photos, jewelry and a gift card to Wal-Mart (Whoo hoo!). I mean, who can’t use a gift card to Wally-World when you’re moving?
The horses have all been taken to their original homes, or sold; save for the oldest, Flash- and he’s leased out to a student of mine for the summer. We’re waiting on his EIA test to come back, and then he’ll go to her barn. He is the sweetest horse on the entire planet, and I’ll miss him dearly. He’s going to carry that little girl around and teach her all he knows. Then he’ll go to my friend for her little girl and he’ll have his *forever* home there. I could cry right now.
Shuttle is still at the clinic in Weatherford, Texas, and I went to visit her for the last time yesterday. I cried and told her to get better. Which, she is technically doing. She’s walking better than she was and the more you walk her, the better she gets. She was was laying down when I got there, and she let me sit next to her and unbraid her mane and brush it out, and give her cookies. I love that mare. They’re thinking that at the earliest she could be released the end of next week. By the fourth of July, she’ll have been at a vet’s office for a month. When she does get released, I’ve got a friend that is going to keep her for me through July, and then I’ll come back to Texas to get her; once we are through with all the checkups, etc. I’m off of her for at least the rest of this year, and probably next year too. I’m contemplating breeding her and allowing her to have a baby; that way I’m less upset about NOT being able to ride her. After she’s had significant time off, we’ll discuss options on where she is soundness wise, as there are some forms of therapy that can help with DJD. They still don’t know what level of competition she’ll be able to return to; or if she even will. I have to believe the mare wants to return to competition. She has a determined, free-spirit and it’s hard to believe I’ll never see her running, kicking or bucking about like the wild mustang she thinks she is.
I might be slightly stressed out with all that’s gone on in the past month, but I’m about to start a new chapter in my life and hopefully it’ll be full of successes, a sound mare and plenty of good horses to ride.
Wish me luck…
i wish you the best of luck in this new job venture! keep the blogs coming and have a safe trip to your new home.
🙂
I’ll do better than wish you luck… I’ll continue to pray for you!
It sounds like a wonderful opportunity…except maybe if you’ll be working there during the winter and then that sounds YUCK… hahaha
I hope you will continue to do your blog from SD and post lots of pics too!
Best of luck with your new adventure and life. I will continue to pray for Shuttle and hope she has an awesome recovery.
Good luck Jen!!! We’ve talked about having this opportunity since we were 12….you’ve got it! So go get ’em girl…I’m cheering for you!
I don’t know you at all, but I do enjoy reading your blog because I have been a horse lover at heart for as long as I can remember.
I think you are starting a VERY exciting chapter in your life, and I would do it in a heart beat if I had ever had the chance. Funny where our life paths leads us. But I look forward to reading all about your trip and your new home and all the new adventures you will have!
can i totally pull an abbott?
ok here goes….
friend back in texas, whose going to pick her up from the vet and take care of her?
Why am i not called by name? Do i mean so little to you? I guess i dont matter at all!
Ha im a funny girl…a friend my ass, the friend is more like it!
I cried all saturday nite because i already missed you and by the time i grew a brain and decided i could have drove over it was really late and im a shitty friend.
i miss you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enjoy the cool weather, while im down here dying in the heat taking care of your students.
I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
p.s. im going to take paris to dr howells later this wk so i will go see shuttle bug and give her cookies, hugs and kisses!!! and maybe “kick her in the eye for good measure, got to keep her nice and broke”(thats a joke for any who dont know me, a little inside joke between zach, jen and i)
Yay! Jilly is going to visit Shuttle this week!!! Whit is going by on Tuesday after work, so can I schedule you for Thursday?
I won’t wish you luck, I’ll only offer you prayers and blessings!
This is an amazing opportunity for an amazing gal and I know you’ll do great.
It sounds cheezy even as I type it, but I remember the first day I met you at your clinic. I told your dad then how much of a gift I could see that you had with the horses.
You are living this little girl’s dreams ma’am! And I’m in your corner if you need anything!
I’m afraid of Jill so I won’t claim “friend” status, but I will go so far as to call myself a supporter!
am i that mean?
just joking!!
no put me down for friday, thursday blw has to work and he wants to go with on the paris deal and plus i have to take crazy dkny so i need blw to back the inlaws trailer
LMAO, Ve- You can totally claim friend status!