Feb. 24th-March 2nd

Feb. 24th-I was able to clean up an area and put in my studio. I finished off some things on the 27th and will post them when I can get a chance.
Feb. 26th-28th, I have had some great rides on Harry, and have put them in my album,
http://imageevent.com/nadasy43/winter2009

One particular photo that Barb took was just a lovely photo of the scenery here today on my birthday.


I took a drive up to Newberry, FL to have lunch with Beth Barritt, who was judging at the big Dressage Show at Canterbury Farm. It was so great to see her. Everyone was taking off my jewelry and trying it on. If I had more time, I probably could have sold the lot.

Feb. 18th - Feb. 23rd

Feb. 18 - Arrival at Barbs only took us from 8:30am until 1:30. It was a smooth trip through the Inspection Station at Jax, with no problems. One of the girls from Southern Pines was there and had forgotten their Coggins Tests, so they had to sit there until the Fax from the Vet came in.

I pulled up to Barbs, put Harry right into the small paddock so he could stretch and roll. That didn't take long.


All the photos of that first day at Barbs are here: http://imageevent.com/nadasy43/winter2009

The rest of the week, I unloaded, got more hay and shavings and helped around the farm. Karen and Mark Alexander are here but leaving at the end of February to go home. I started riding Harry on Saturday, after giving him a few days to settle in, and he has been a really good boy, having to learn a new place, seeing peacocks for the first time, and there is an adjacent farm to the paddock I turned him out in that had a gigantic hog across the fence. Well, that didn't go well, but I got him out of there quickly and Barb and I decided that particular paddock would be off limits-
Yesterday I rode him again, and actually got some great work. We were able to start more trotting, and keeping him occupied and busy with Shoulder-in and out, leg-yields, and turns on forehand and haunches. We also had some good canter work, which produced a much more free moving trot with his hind end. He was pushing forward from the back, and to finish off his favorite exercise of stretching over his back at the trot coming up the little grade. He loves stretching, and I've been able to go back to that frequently, as much as he needs to supple and help him come through.

Week Nine-Feb. 11-Feb. 17th

Wed. 11th-6 hours. Horses were out all night because of the nice weather, so I concentrated on getting my work finished and riding Harry and packing. He was very bouncy, so we spent our time walking, marching along, up and down little hills, around the arenas, and stretching over his back. It was in the 70's with 25 mph winds, so things left unattended - ahem, chairs, towels, whips, blankets, everything I had put away Monday, that was just tossed on my day off by BL, was a challenge, but Harry was very good and we got a great deal accomplished. At the end of the day, it was going to be very stormy Wed. night, I noticed that the sawdust pile, which was almost dry, was uncovered. Cathy and I went to cover it, and realized that the guy that delivered the sawdust backed up too far and dumped about a ton over the back edge right on the tarp. Cathy shoveled and I dumped eight wheelbarrow loads around to the front of the pile before we were able to cover it. That took almost an hour, and it was dark by the time we finished. Our two horses were in before dark, but all of the rest were left out while BL decided to take care of the rescue horses. Her horses were started to get nervous and anxious because of the wind and impending storm, and tearing around their paddocks and fields. She finally arrived and brought them in.

Thursday 12th-5 hours. This morning when I arrived at the barn there were blankets everywhere, buckets all over, couldn't find any of the halters and feed buckets were strewn as well. I got all of the horses fed, there were no supplements for the old horse, and he had not been eating his food at all. When I mentioned this, BL said it was the medicine for his lungs and she'd have to dose him instead. When I asked how long he had to have it, she said she didn't know, but guessed she'd give it to him for another week....... I finished half my work, and since the forecast was calling for 60mph wind gusts, I took that opportunity to get a ride in on Harry. He was really great, listening to me, despite the stuff flying up in front of us every time we turned around. We worked for 40 minutes, and then went in. After that I finished up the rest of the work, gave more hay, and waited for the Vet to arrive to check out Harry and fill out his Health Certificate for our trip. She was really impressed at the fact that he ate no grain, but some beet pulp (2 cups) and herbs and Bragg's Vinegar and Molasses. She had gone to Cornell, and then transferred to NC State, and believed in preventive maintenance and her clients learning about nutrition and horse management. She was really knowledgeable and easy to talk to. Dover Equine Veterinary in Warsaw, VA. is her practice and her name is Michal (Cally) Benoit Cuthbertson, DVM. She is a treasure.

Friday 13th - last day of work. Packed up and ready to go, I was really looking forward to leaving on a variety of levels.

Saturday 14th - I got to ride Harry around and packed some more.

Sunday 15th - Ride Harry and finished packing everything.


Monday 16th - TRAVEL DAY!!! Whoohoo! I left at 8:30am and arrived at Amy Hazards barn at 12:30. I got Harry settled in, Amy turned him out around 3:30 until I came back to feed him at 5:00. He was very good, and settled right in. Ejay and I went to a great Chinese restaurant.

Tuesday 17th - left early for Hilton Head Island, SC. Got there at noon, and turned Harry out in a great little round pen so he could stretch. I unhooked the trailer and left it there to go Shane's retail store. I went back to the North end and unloaded Tutti's pen and Harry's feed and Lolly and Bitty were there. Lolly made the most amazing meal. She cooks like her Mom - Miss B. who taught me how to cook the best rice, and greens. It was a great evening. and we had 'show and tell' with my jewelry. T, Lolly's daughter teaches Biology and Physics in High School, and had some wonderful ideas about marketing tools for my jewelry. Bitty bought one of my cuffs, and it looked great on her.

Bridge from Mainland to Hilton Head Island, Harry standing in his round pen at Moss Creek.

Week Eight-Feb. 3rd-Feb. 10th

Tuesday 3rd-day off All the horses in am because of snow and rain. Main door off the barn. BL refused help to get it on the track so the horses in that barn were wet, as was all the hay she stores there. Turned Harry out at noon because it got nice and sunny but cold.

Wednesday 4th-5.5 hours. Stalls a mess. Half of them had to be completely stripped and restocked because they were not cleaned properly. Harry's legs were very stocked up. His soles and hooves were cool, but he was really filled up around the ankles, very frightening. He wasn't lame, or off, but I made some compress up and covered his legs. In about 2 hours, it showed wet on the inside of the right front and right hind, and wet on the outside left front and left hind. He obviously stressed himself, running, and because his shoes are probably not as balanced as he is used to, and then stayed in yesterday morning, this was the result. There was a minimum amount of heat right at the ankles insides on the right, outsides on the left. After finishing up the stalls and work and giving more hay, I hosed him for 20 minutes and turned him back out. By 2:30 when I checked on him, there was NO swelling, and NO heat. Chris called me and our appointment is set for Friday at 3pm at Windsor Farm in Gordonsville to get his back feet reset and Mikes front shoes put back on.

Thursday 5th 6 hours. Cold and windy but Harry's legs better than yesterday. Ten rescued horses brought in to upper barn, now in quarantine.

Friday 6th 4 hours. Hooked up trailer and left for Gordonsville. Went by old places I used to know and arrived around 1:30pm. Chris Beaulieu reset all of Harrys shoes using Mikes shoes, and immediately he felt better. Very quiet and very good. Chris is very meticulous, and noticed right away that too much had been removed from the outside of Harry's front feet. He also works efficiently and has a very calming influence on the horses. I cannot stress enough about the importance of the correct attitude when working around horses. Now Harry is almost 100% balanced, and we're ready to start working again. Back home by 5pm despite horrible traffic around Richmond, but easy trip. Cleaned trailer and unhooked. Plans coming together for FL.



Harry and Chris Beaulieu after getting his shoes reset, and view of front and hind.

Saturday 7th - 6 hours. Finished stalls I did not get to yesterday. Horses all out last night. Gorgeous day today with temperatures in the high 60's. Pulled Harrys mane and got my clippers ready for tomorrow. Will add photos of his new shoes and his before and after clip job tomorrow.

Sunday 8th - 4 hours. After switching horses from one paddock/field to others, I fed everyone but the two left in, Harry and his old pal. Gave everyone enough hay to last until noon, then finished stalls, and made a little outside stall in the inside of the 'U' shaped barn Harry is in. My blades were not as sharp as I would have liked, so there are some lines, but by the time we are ready to leave for FL., the lines will be gone. I had a bag of hay for him inside his little 'stall', and he just stood there eating his hay while I clipped him. He is such a good horse, so quiet, despite the fact that he only gets clipped once a year. Here is a photo of him after his clip.
Harry with Delaney before our ride.
Delany's gift.


I rode him around the ring inside and out for almost 45 min, with the young horse and he was just great! The only thing that bothered them both was one of the chairs left inside the ring blew over and then around and over the rail. They both just jumped straight up off all fours and landed in the same place, and that was it. Nothing spectacular.

Monday 9th-5 hours. Since all the horses were out at night, it was just a matter of switching all of them around into other fields, feeding them, giving them hay, removing blankets. The young painted mare was a bit skeptical, but I think I've finally gained her respect. BL did remove the leg straps. Leg straps on the filly and a 3 yr. old sometimes are more bother than they are worth, and can scare them even when you are very careful unhooking them. The paint has a very long coat, and has been without a blanket since she was rescued, and now has one that is very large and has spooked her. I washed all the Morgans blankets and repaired them. I cleaned two large paddocks that took almost 2 hours they were so bad. All this switching day and night from one paddock to another is baffling. I just get the paddocks clean and they are doubled in the morning if the mare and filly are in the old horses paddock. I worked on parting things for BL, my friend Cathy and the little girl who loves the Painted Pony.
I've given notice that I am leaving for Florida on the 16th. It is a matter of financial urgency, and mental health. Of course, the mental health issue, or my colossal drop in weight was not mentioned, but I cannot keep up this grind. BL understood, saying I was welcome to come back any time. It's best NEVER to burn bridges. Swallow hard, bite your tongue, be the better person and be gracious.

Tuesday 10th-day off. Found a small buffer/grinder at Harbour Freight, my favorite store and another mini-torch to work on my jewelry. Found a great small rolling mill, but it was too much. Have to save money for the fuel to Florida on Monday. Gave everyone but Delany their gifts. BL still has no idea what the initials LG LY on the necklace mean. Rode Harry, and felt like he was ready to launch me to FL! Feeling very good.

Copper Pendant with Sterling Bail and Heart
Cathy's earrings, "Citrine, Tigereye, Labrodite"

Week Seven-Jan 27th, Feb. 2nd

Tuesday was my day off, but since it was rainy and snowy, and the horses were only out for 2 hours, I cleaned all 5 paddocks, because I couldn't stand seeing them filled with manure and nasty hay. Then we got hail sleet and rain. It was 32 degrees and the horses were brought in.

Wednesday 28th-7 hours. 32 degrees and ice everywhere. Tops off feed barrels. Buckets left out and frozen. BL late leaving to pick up lumber for fence line. Trainer came and took old horse out for walk in the sleet. Young horse longed for 15 min, and turned back out. Old mare and filly out, Young horse out, mare in foal out, young pinto mare out. All horses out at upper barn. BL said she would put them in on her way out, she forgot. I cleaned all stalls, and for the ones that stayed in, I put them in cross ties and gave them hay while I did their stalls. Brought in horses in paddocks because it started pouring, then it went to 60 degrees, and I pulled all their blankets.

Decided to clean feed room which was a disaster. Filthy and moldy feed and rat droppings everywhere. I cleaned all the supplement bins and everything that was in there with soap and hot water. Reorganized the room, made shelves wider so that it was more efficient. Used chain link gate on 4x4 pieces of wood to store bags of feed which were getting damp on the floor. Here are photos of the finished room.


Thursday-29th- 8 hours - Horses were in over night due to freezing rain. My truck doors were almost frozen shut. I have to hold horses for the farrier today, so I just cleaned 4 stalls, watered and hayed the rest, and went to fix the Dish Satellite. I had called since we had no reception, and fiddled with it because it looked like the post (mast) was leaning. Well, the soil is sandy and the installer, in his infinite wisdom, failed to put in a permanent pipe in concrete to put the mast in, so the weight of the dish and the shifting soil kept the mast from being perpendicular. I learned through the myriad of calls to the company, that the problem was something I had to have an appointment for two weeks forward, and this was simply not an option, for me or for the owners. After all, how could I miss two weeks of my Fox Channel?

I kept calling until I did find a service agent that told me about the perpendicular mast and how to test it, and what to look for (12 former 'agents' failed to impart this bit of trivia) and when I just even 'eyeballed' it, it worked and gave me a 99% success on the transponders, so whopee!! we now have entertainment (such as it is). Back to the day.

When the farrier got here I held one horse that needed pads, put him back out and went to upper barn and brought down two Morgans. Farrier said he'd be 3 hours at least on the first one, so I could take a break. It's very cold just standing still holding a horse, so I was running out to throw hay to everyone and then running into the office and holding on to the register. I also took this opportunity to keep working on the satellite which eventually was successful. I made coffee and gave the farrier some along with a few of my famous Fuel bars. Then I went back up to the barn with the finished Morgan, put him in his stall, went into the field and got the 3rd Morgan, put her in her stall, and turned out the one that just was shod, and took her down to the barn. Then I returned back to the upper barn and got the last pony to bring down. I was then able to start picking out the stalls and hold the horses. I'd been on the job since 6:45am and it was now 4:15pm. I was getting a bit tired, mostly of just standing in the aisle and cold again. It was nice outside, and many of the horses had a nice lie down in the sun. I slept from 6pm until 5am this morning.

Friday 30th - 6 hours. Today I have the whole place again, and hope to be able to get on Harry and have a ride after work.

Sat. 31st-leave for NC at 4:30 am. Arrived at feed store in Aberdeen at 8:30am and got a bag of foot for Tutti with the coupons I've been saving. Called Gina and picked up her feed at SP Feed store. No help wanted on either of the boards or at the restaurant on May Street. Went to see Denny Emerson for an hour. He's going to see if they can find some work for me, but most all of it has been spoken for. Nelson's not home so left a note. Went to Gina's to deliver feed and spent an hour there.


Gina and Feral Errol her Adv. Horse and Miss Emma, her newest addition to Ticket To Ride Farm.
Left there and went to my sister's and we had supper and I was home at 8:30pm.

Sunday Feb. 1st - 8 hours Started work at 6:45am. Went into the feed room that I had organized, and all the feed bins were open, and buckets strewn all over the place. Fed, hayed and turned out horses that stayed in. I went to upper barn and all of the gates were wide open, and the 3 Morgan's were wandering around towards the road. BL decided, in her infinite wisdom, to turn out the gelding from the upper barn in the field next to Harry with the old mare and the filly. He had no introductions, just let loose. He went ballistic, herding and nipping at the filly and striking at the old mare. BL just laughed. All the other horses were tearing around, and not in a good way. The gelding charged Harry's fence and busted through the boards, which cut Harry right on the coronet band. I finally got him calmed down, and eventually she decided that the gelding shouldn't be in there. I ended up having to feed the PM and bring everyone in.

Monday 2nd - 6 hours. Fed and turned out, hay all horses. removed blankets. Rode Harry at a walk for about 30 minutes while trainer was here. I fixed the PM feed up for BL. One of the owners came at 3:30 and brought everyone in, leaving Harry out. It was 62 degrees, and she had the time wrong. BL came back and by then Harry was upset, and his feet very warm from running around. BL then turned everyone back out until dark. I brought Harry in at 5pm with old horse and fed them. Still no hot water,

Week Six - Jan 20th - Jan. 26th

You know, I've never been very involved with the phases of the moon, or astrology, but my friend Joannie Detlefsen has shown me credible evidence that there are things that can be explained and understood during phases and whether the planets have an effect on our circumstances. Certainly Friday the 23rd was solid evidence of this. Harry has never been so out of sorts. A quiet and kind horse, his mood changed so dramatically that I probably would have been better off not having taken him to the farrier, but I did.

Mercury is in retrograde. The Universe is dishing out new ideas. This is the time when it affects Transportation AND Communication. (remember the flub up during the Inauguration?). I'm sure the astrologers around the world had a good chuckle over that.

Today (Jan. 26th), we are having a solar eclipse, and we are going into the crescent moon, and things will start to solidify. By Saturday (my new date for my trip to So. Pines), things will be less chaotic. The power of our success will come with the new moon, and for the next two weeks be flowing towards the full moon. By the time I leave here (around the 7th or so), I should be in a safe, healthy and good place.

Is this really the state of things? Certainly the photos I took of those horrid storm clouds made an impression on me to take them, and had I investigated further, would have known that the 16th would have been a health disaster for me. For whatever reason, I may not be totally entrenched in astrology or understand it as thoroughly as I'd like, but I certainly will not rule it out.

THANK YOU JOAN!!!



Tues. 20th, day off - making plans to go to So. Pines, NC for job interview.

Wed. 21st - 5 hours, preg. mare down to main barn.
clear boarders stall so BL can install hemp base in there which is all rippled and damp.

Thurs. 22nd - 6 hours, turn out cleaned all stalls, Mare's paddock took one hour to clean.

Frid. 23rd - 4 hours. Farrier appt. insisted upon 2 new shoes one size larger. never mentioned in 3 calls that there would be a discount for cash of substantial amount. Harry very scared and nervous, too much electricity and trash and discord at place. Harry got called pig several times and elbowed in the ribs two times. Refused to reset back shoes. Said his back hurt, Admonished for not having full set of x-rays for Harry, Thinks Harry is still foundered. Ended up with flat keg shoes, no bevel, no crease, no rims, one size larger,

Sat. 24th called Zach and Ursula. 4.5 hours, cleaned paddock and stalls raked, 4 bales, very windy and cold again after so warm Friday.

Sunday. 25th 4 hours, horses in at night no hay in upper barn, used mare's. BL late to bring in horses and everyone was racing around.

Mon. 26th - 4 hours. Vet here. Horses were frantic because BL started moving horses all around to different barns. All horses in over night at 34 deg. (Sat. night it was 19 and they were out). Water, hay feed, turn out upper barn, hay door open, exposed and disconnected ground wire inside pasture of morgans, with top board off and nails showing. Dandy finally had supplements after 3 days 0 them. Rat droppings in both feed rooms.

Week Five - Jan 13th-Jan. 19th.

Tues off-Made bracelet for one of the boarders. Her 46th birthday. Chose colors of her horse. She loved it and it fit! My first opportunity since here to make anything.

Wed 14th - 4 hours. 3 stalls hay feed frozen water hoses spigots, took ind. buckets to all horses with mixed water. Sky was roiling and red at evening. bad clouds, very stormy in sky.

Thurs. 15th - Intense headache made it through 4 hours of work, but sometimes having to sit, dizzy, pain in head and eyes, slept from 11:30 6to 4:00 then 8pm to 5am

Fri. 16th - 5.5 hours feel great frozen cleaned buckets and tubs and emptied ice. still no feed for boarders horses at upper barn.

Sat. 17th - 5.5 hours, no feed for boarders horses, frozen buckets because they were not emptied at night with horses in. ind. waters to lower barn, 4 degrees, brought Harry in at 2 to go get hay up state. BL feeds another feed instead.

Sun. 18th - 5 hours, water to lower ind. buckets, upper barn frozen buckets again. BL terrorizes 8 mo. old filly with checkered blanket by throwing it and cackling at her because she's attacking it, slamming with her front feet. screaming and kneeling on it and ripping it. all horses get upset and start running around in fear. 32 degrees windy. Horses in at night.

Mon. 19th - 4 hours. Gave lesson to boarder. Given no notice for lesson. Lesson went well. BL and mother of student couldn't understand why student was not 'jumping'. Student's abilities limited to walk/trot. Came to lesson with Chambon and Grackle noseband. Yanks hands to stop. Has no idea about balance or using body and seat to ride. Only rides off hands. Horse inverted and stiff. At end of lesson horse was soft and through. Frozen buckets and water lines. Have to take water from bathroom to all paddocks and fields, BL takes large open tub and fills with house water and leaks it all over, rages over weather and wants everyone to leave again.

Week Four - Jan. 6th - Jan. 13th

Ultimatum Time- I've been given ONE MONTH to find another place to go. No notice, no reason, nothing.

I am certain that this is a direct result of my encouraging BL to sit down and think about where she wants to be 6 months or a year from now with her life, her farm, her horses, her business. In effect, I did give her some tools, some suggestions, permission - if you will- to figure this all out. She is so incredibly unhappy with so many things, and I am not in the business of counsel for her. These are decisions we all have to make on our own about our own particular situations.

Oh, friends can suggest, family can wheedle, we can whine, there will be as many answers as there are people that we ask for help, but at the end of the day, we all have to take responsibility for our own actions. We only have ourselves to point to if we've not made sound decisions. These types of decisions are not to be made quickly or without careful examination.

Tues. 6th day off
Wed. 7th - 4.5 hours. horses in day/night due to rain, was asked to move in one month to where? feed tubs open in lower feed room, replaced with garbage cans with tops. tops continuously left off, rat droppings so what's up with that? The day after the garbage cans were put in for 3 mornings, the tops were left off, exposing them to everything as if they were still using the blue ones.


Thurs. 8th - 5.5 hours. fed turn out lower and fed turnout upper hay cleaned 7 stalls 2 bags of shavings in Helmar's stall. upper barn, buckets all over stalls left filthy. main barn, syringes and wine glasses all over.
Friday. 9th - 4.5 hours. Still trying to digest my dismissal. Formulating a plan. work stalls, hay, clean 2 paddocks of hay and manure. JPP arrives to give me a great lesson on Harry.
Sat. 10th - 4.5 hours. PM work instead of AM because BL and friend going to banquet.
Sun. 11th - 4.5 hours. Talk with boarders by BL gives them news to move Feb. 1st.
Mon. 12th - 4 hours. 3 stalls hay feed 4 hours, all horses move tim/helmar back to original fields after Crazy Trainer worked them in 15 degree weather. Went to Surrey got 4 bales hay, ok not great

Week Three-Dec. 31st-Jan. 6th, 2009

Cannot understand normal thinking. BL losing rational thought.

Wed.31st - 5 hours. upper lower water tubs frozen solid. took out individual buckets - 2 for each horse with mixed warm water. No cat food, no supplements or feed for two horses, BL decided to just feed them another type of feed. Don't people realize that bad hay in cold weather doesn't keep horses healthy or warm? Discussion (I stayed out of this one) was that just feed more grain, hay doesn't keep them warm. Hay analysis came back for present mixed bales, not fit for horses. Vets said AG people wrong. Give MORE FEED - They get enough of what they need in their feed. (Just a thought, but this is ONLY IF THEY ARE GIVEN THE RECOMMENDED AMOUNT OF FEED FOLKS.) These horses get 1/4 to 1 scoop of feed 2 x a day, with most of them getting less than 1/2 scoop. The hay situation will not change.

Jan 1st - 5 hours. Normal day, stalls, frozen lines, trash everywhere, longe line and whips thrown all over arena, with chairs inside arena. What else is new. Doors open Upper barn, horses out but fence not on. stalls a mess.

Jan 2nd - 4 hours went to get hay. 300 lbs. $78. paid 24 cents / lb., but great gorgeous Timothy from Idaho.

Jan 3rd - 5.5 hours - another day in the trenches, two of the stalls I clean every day are just sopping wet every day. They honestly need to be stripped every day, or the horses left out, or mats put in stall. BL cannot grasp the fact that the hemp fabric on the floors actually HOLDS WATER AND URINE - not to mention bacteria, mold, making a bad situation even worse for one of the schoolmasters who is 22 and has a raging lung infection, expelling thick yellow gobs of mucus daily from his nose. I've stopped trying to make suggestions, it falls on deaf ears.

Jan 4th - Sunday - 5 hrs- Lower barn feed, hay turn out. Upper barn, 2 of boarders horses have no feed. no supplements. No numbers at upper barn for owners. Top board and post broken in pintos field.

Jan 5th - Monday -4.5 hours - Turn out hay feed. move more feed to upper barn, take off blankets, upper barn feed hay take off blankets rode Harry, cleaned 4 paddocks hay 2x.
Tues. 6th, off.

Week Two-December 24th-30th 2008

After a somewhat hectic day on my day off and sleeping for 13 hours straight, I was up and at it at 6:50am at the barn. Direct TV was coming to install the dish between 8-1 and I had to be there for it. After many false starts with the installer, and the boss refusing to take any responsibility for setting anything up, she said she had no patience - hmmm, no surprise here. When cleaning up the manure in the paddocks, I noticed that the ornamental hedges and plants around the judges stand and main arena were growing into the paddocks surrounding them. They were poisonous plants, yews, azaleas, other things that probably should not be ingested by horses. I was cutting them with my metal shears. Boss lady said she didn't care if any of the horses ate them, and if they got sick oh well, they got sick! I finished up clearing out the debris.

The installer arrived, and when bosslady found out the installation charge would be $100 she suddenly decided that she didn't want the service. The boxes had already arrived, the account had already been set up, and now she didn't want any part of it. She had given me a check to buy myself something for Christmas, it was $100. That paid for the installation. It was not just for the basement and my TV which I brought from home, it was for their three that were upstairs. At that point I also turned over my new Stihl weedwacker as promised to bosslady for the 4 months of the air card for my laptop. Oh the lessons we learn.

Christmas Day, I fed and turned out the farm, cleaned stalls, then was going to church because I missed Christmas Eve service, but was asked to make dinner. BossLady doesn't clean, doesn't cook, hubby does, and he didn't want to cook. I fixed the turkey for her, made Hunting Loaf (a mix of oat flakes, onions, English Cheddar cheese Walnuts, and Marmite), and Yorkshire Pudding and all the steamed veggies and baked sweet potatoes. Thank goodness I was not expected to make dessert...........Never got to Church.

December 26th, the three Morgans got out of their pasture. I was blamed until someone else fessed up. there was a roll of wire fencing unrolled in one of the pastures, halters and lead ropes thrown everywhere, unsecured electric wire into a field where two horses were, and right about nose height, feed door not latched, no cat food, all stalls have 2 day old water.

December 27th, no supplements or feed for Dandy, fence left on with horses in at night. I longed Harry for 30 min. December 29th longed 30 min. Dec. 30th 30 mn. longe and fixed paddock. Hours for week two are now up to 67.

Week One-December 16th - 23rd, 2008

The day after my escape from the frozen North, I started work at 7am. With my usual efficiency, I arrived early, notebook and pen in hand, ready to take down notes of the horses I'd be caring for, what they ate, how much and what paddocks they were put in for the day and night.

The tubs of water in the paddocks needed to be changed, they were slimy and green. The hay was dusty and smelled rank. I plodded on, taking notes and trying not to make suggestions or give my opinion, although this was something that I was not only trained to do, but had years of experience and schooling to back it up. The feed buckets were everywhere, and filthy. They had not been cleaned in who knew how long. The old food was crusted on them, and of course, this is a great place for bacteria. The stalls were another matter. The wet sawdust was thrown in on top of pounds of manure and urine and smelled terrible. Instead of rubber mats in the stalls, the preferred covering was free heavy vinyl sheets or hemp from the local lumber mill. The vinyl was slippery, and the hemp just absorbed the water and urine making it all but impossible to breathe in the stall. I could not imagine how the horses did not have lung infections. The water buckets in the stalls were left in there for days without being changed, so the water was never really fresh.

There was one small spigot by the feed room that didn't freeze. There was a TWO GALLON water heater in the bathroom of the main barn. That was the only warm/hot water available, and it took 15 minutes between the first two small feed buckets full to heat the water again. The spigot by the main barn was at a 45 degree angle by the front door, and froze quickly. The spigot at the back door continuously hooked up to it, so that froze quickly as well as the hose(s). Each stall had a small 1 1/2' x 2' window with a fan in it that turned as soon as it was windy. There were no top doors for the open stalls. Three of the horses in my shed row barn had electric buckets which kept tripping the breaker. I was uneasy at night leaving them plugged in. I continued to give Harry warmed water from the bathroom.

It was never a consideration during the Winter to mix the feed for the horses with a bit of warm water, and since I had the morning feed for the three barns, I made sure everyone got warm feed at least. I made mountains out of the hay in their paddocks and fields mainly to get the dust out, and make sure there were no hidden critters in the flakes.

Did I mention that I also had to throw down 4-6 bales of hay from up top each morning and stack in the aisle? These bales weighed about 75 lbs. I had to lift and push them end over end to get them out the door, and then strain to lift them into place in the aisle where I cut the strings and took flakes to all the paddocks and fields.

I got 8 bales of shavings from the owner and was told if I wanted any more I'd have to pay for it myself. I was already providing my feed and hay, and thought, this is a lot of hours of work that I'm not being compensated for. I used 2 bales for the old horses stall that was in at night with Harry.

I worked 5 hours on Tuesday non stop, with another 2 in the afternoon.
I worked 5 hours on Wednesday, 5 on Thursday, 6 on Friday, and on Saturday I was left with the whole place to myself, and both am and pm feeds as the owners were spending the day away. The first thing that happened was the owners young Shire draft cross stuck his leg through the rotting paddock fence, getting stuck half way, and then got his shoe caught in woven wire on the ground. Their solution was to bring up a chain saw to remove the boards. I worked 8 1/2 hours that day. On Sunday I worked 5 hours taking 1 hour out for Church, for which I was admonished and threatened. Since I fed everyone and gave them hay and water before I left, and they weren't being turned out because of rain, they could survive for an hour while I went to church. I thought. Shouldn't think. All the hoses and spigots were frozen, and I had taken water from the bathroom for everyone. Monday I arrived at the barn to find my big Rubbermaid trolly had TWO split rims. I then had to use my muck tub on my carry all frame to clean all the stalls. TSC ordered two for me to replace the ones that were split, at no charge. Despite the comment from my slightly loopy 'boss', that the people at TSC were morons, I found them to be most helpful and pleasant. They are 40 miles away round trip. Nothing is easy. The laundromat is 30 miles round trip................One of the horses in barn 3 left on Monday to go to another facility.

The boss lady, a very unconcerned woman, who alternated between cackling and swearing loudly and telling me that a whip is the only way to keep horses in line, and telling me she wanted to dig a large hole and throw all the horses in, was becoming increasingly disturbing to me. Since I live in the basement, and it's right under their living quarters, and I have no privacy or a door that locks, I was serenaded by screeching birds and parrots and barking dogs well into the night. I was promised an air card for my laptop which is the ONLY promise I've seen actually happening. I was told there was cable tv, but when I got here, I found an antennae and one channel, and it sure wasn't Fox News or Lifetime.....

Tuesday, my day off, was spent at the laundromat in the town 15 miles away, in the company of the largest women I've ever seen. Next to Hogs Gone Wild BBQ, and across from the Lumber/Paper mill, I spent two hours waiting for a washing machine and spent most of it in my truck.


By the time I had finished my first week, I had worked 36.5 hours. Had I been in Southern Pines I would have taken home $365.00. I suddenly got this sick feeling that the hours I was working-oh it had to get easier, and I could go faster, but try as I might, I could not seem to get the work under 5 or 6 hours a day. The deal was 4 hours 5 or 6 days.

The Journey Begins

In September of last year, I found a job in Sanford, NC with a room for me and a stall and turnout for my horse. My dog Tutti was welcome as well. I was thrilled, because I'd be there from mid December until the first of May, missing, hopefully all the bad winter weather where we live. All the plans centered around this job.

The day after the election, the lady called and said the farm owners said they did not want her hiring any new people and possibly that she would have to lay off some of the present staff. I was very disappointed, but beyond the disappointment of not being near Southern Pines, NC, my sister and my boys being able to visit, I knew this was now not the time for looking for a new job and a place for Harry, Tutti, and me.

With my usual naivete, I started searching the jobs listings for grooms, stall cleaners, instructors, anything in the central NC area. This quickly became the SouthEastern US, and with just a few openings, I found a job in Virginia. I called to make an appointment for both jobs, one outside of DC - this would be colder, but closer to friends and family since I had owned a farm in MD for 12 years. I also found a job prospect in SE VA. I called this one and after spending time playing who do you know, and what training have you had, and what do you think about this or that re: dressage, she admitted my expertise would be better suited to help a friend of hers who had a rather large farm and needed help.

The marathon trip from Western NY to SE VA by way of DC and back was about 15 hours. Admittedly, I tried desperately to be fully aware and ask the right questions for each of the jobs. Ah, the best laid plans..................

I arrived at my first interview 5 min. early, found no one about, and spent about 10 minutes just looking at the facility. It was, to say the least, extravagant and over the top, although isolated. The young woman who ran the facility - her parents had spared no expense - was in a permanent tizzy. She ran through all the breeding of all the dispondent horses standing with their tails to the door, and ears pinned, over dressed in the heaviest of blankets. When asked to see the hay and feed rooms, it was apparent that she not only had no idea where the hay came from, she cared not about the quality of it, or the feed, which was improperly stored on the floor in bags. The job would be 7 days a week starting at 6am and ending at the nighttime check at 10 pm. I would have a few hours off in the afternoon...................I would be grooming, tacking up, bathing, cleaning stalls, feeding, turning out and bringing in, and any other job(s) she could think of for me to do all for the priveledge of being there and $200 a month pocket money. I could not think of a single reason for wanting to take this on, so amidst her scampering into the office and returning with a needle to Ace a horse who had arrived from Florida after a 12 hour drive just a mere 6 hours earlier. She had to start his 'training' she announced, and that, dear friends was the end of that interview.

The second job was about 4 hours south and I arrived around 4pm. The owner greeted me and ran me around, and I was trying to remember to take notes, but it was getting dark. She could provide me a room in the basement, and my horse a stall with shavings and hay. I did not get to see much as all the horses were spread out all over the farm and my job would be 4 hours - 5-6 days a week in the morning. That would give me time to work on my businesses, websites, and have a life. I was admittedly tired, and overwhelmed from the journey, but figured that even after another week of diligent searching, couldn't find anything else.


I tried for 3 weeks to pack, but the storms had started, the winds whipped up, the ice came and went with the snow, making it practically impossible to pack the trailer and close up the house. During this time, Harry was recovering from an adverse reaction to blood root for a sarcoid on his neck. The treatment cleared up the sarcoid, but he was in so much pain, that he threw me up against the stall door once, bruising my chest and knocking the wind out of me, and then a day later when I went to put on his halter in the field, I found myself on the ground counting blades of grass. He had flung his head and threw me on the ground. The guy that was there taking the last of the second story of the old barn down, reckoned I'd been out for a few minutes. It took me almost 3 weeks to be able to approach him without him backing up and being suspicious of my motives. I was only feeding him and turning him out. We quickly reached a silent trust with each other so that he knew when it was time to go out, what I expected of him, and it was almost a week before I could even get near him to change his blanket. I spent 4 days making all of his clothing open fronted, so that nothing whatsoever would be going over his head. I had to change a doz blankets. Turns out this was a pretty good thing.

Finally the day arrived when I could get the rest of the trailer packed, get my hay in the back, all my tools (it was about 30 degrees but no wind), and throw in my tools, machines, and get the house closed up the pipes drained and leave. I had 3 false starts and finally left around 8am on Sunday morning. After white knuckling the drive out of the farm, and down to the interstate (a trip of about 13 miles that took almost an hour), we were fine until we crossed the border into PA. From the truckstop it was another 3 hours trying not to tip over on the mountain roads as they had made the four lane highway 2 lanes with big Jersey barriers on either side, straight down the mountain. The previous day they had an 11 truck pile up from the ice and snow. Oh yea-glad I've driven this route for most of my life in my KW with a 48 ft. trailer, this is really nothing, but I am now responsible for my horse and my dog and myself instead of a load of produce or meat. Once I got past Williamsport, I was fine, but realized that this was going to put me at our first stop after dark. I arrived at the barn where I was staying the night in MD, but could not see the driveway, and ended up turning one driveway too soon, and was in a corn field turning around. I settled Harry in for the night, was picked up by my friend Joannie, and we went to dinner.
Joanie working on Harry-

Monday morning we returned early to the barn, and Joannie gave Harry one of her energizing treatments, and we were on our way South again. I was so looking forward to this job. I had the best feeling but then I'm kind of a glass is half full kind of person, and always try to see the best, or make the best of any situation. I arrived at the new place at 3pm, there was no one about. This was only the second time I had seen the place, and had no idea where to turn Harry out. I quickly cleaned out a paddock and turned him out and fixed his stall, glad that I had brought shavings. The sawdust pile was uncovered and soaking wet. There was no way I was going to put Harry in a stall with wet sawdust. I also had brought 15 bales of hay to transition him to the hay here, but the hay here was so toxic and dusty it wasn't fit even for cows! I went into the apartment around 5pm to make Harry's dinner, and was shocked to see a small bar sink on the floor, and no fridge to store my perishables in. It was also extremely sour and moldy smelling and damp. Finally the owner showed up and did take me out for dinner, which I appreciated. Of course the two Margarita's she had should have been a red flag, but I was here now, had no where else to go, and would have to make the best of it. After all I wasn't in NY battling the storms, and it was only until May.

I must say here, that I do my utmost to give people many chances, making excuses for them, trying to put myself in their shoes, yada yada yada. Well, I think at this stage in my life, I need to learn not only to consider myself and my animals, and make sure that we will be safe and healthy.

The age old GUILT phenomenon driven into my brain as a child never fails to come to the fore when dealing with these tough issues or situations. I'm getting much better at pushing it aside where it belongs, looking at life more in the way of my dear friend and coach Valerie Knight, who continuously reminds me that " ...it's not likely to alter the fate of nations..." (relative to something Harry and I are just not able to 'get' yet).

I don't want to appear ungrateful, you know, or unappreciative to my present situation, but it has been so overwhelming on so many levels, I've learn to stop sputtering inside about it, and keep up an endless giggle here and there.

I am not on any medications, I don't use drugs or anything to dull reality. I say, Bring it On!, I can deal, well, most of the time, but this situation kept engulfing me, sending wave after huge wave over me and on more than one occasion I was ready to pack up and leave. Of course, not being able to go North to home-the farm is totally closed down and with the snow and ice there, unavailable for habitation until oooooooohhh about April 15th. The mud season. Haha. Faced with the prospect of finding a job in So. Pines, when everything now has been spoken for, having no place to put Harry, myself and Tutti, was disconcerting, but in the 'fullness of time' as Valerie often says, these things will work themselves out.

It's a good thing I have friends like Joannie and Valerie who remind me of the larger picture (sometimes hard to do when you are in the midst of it) as many times during these first week I alternated between wanting to run into traffic, and setting my hair on fire. It's more in the visual than the actual folks.