This is Crap

Remember that time I was counting down the days till school ended and I could ride and blog and be free all the time?

Yeah me too.

But instead I find myself still working 40+ hours a week.  This is crap.

Anyways, yet another photo recap because I don't seem to be capable of anything else.

The reason I've been so busy is because I took a nanny-ing job for the summer.  It was only three days a week, and just one five month old baby, so I figured it'd be perfect.  Until it turned into four days, and 10 hours a day.  Luckily the baby is awesome and I'm being paid well (so I have nothing to complain about so stop complaining, self) but I have a little less freedom than I planned on this summer.

But today I did take the baby on an hour long walk so I could get ice cream.... so there's that.

I'm also dog-sitting Chloe again.  Chloe isn't allowed on the bed.  Chloe gives zero fucks.

Last weekend I ran a clinic focused on working with "the sensitive horse".  One of my students (Montana's dad) is on the board of a rescue in nearby Connecticut.  Most of the horses that come through there are sensitive to say the least, since they've come from all walks of life.  That, coupled with the fact that lots of their volunteers have little to no horse experience makes things interesting.  So I went over for a little clinic.  I was absolutely dreading doing this, because I really didn't think I'd have enough material for four hours, nor did I necessarily feel qualified, but it ended up going really, really, well.

Above is sweet Mia, who they were shocked to see me

A) get a halter on

B) get to walk over the tarp

and

C) get the tarp on her

What was even better about working with Mia was that not only could I do all those things, by the end of our session all the participants got to do those things.  It was extremely rewarding to see how proud they all were to make that progress with a horse that usually intimidates most of them.

Then I rode the hunk below.

This, is Leeroy.  Yes with two e's.  Leeroy was so out of shape, and so lazy, but was such a good little boy for my demo.  In case anyone is interested, Leeroy is available for adoption and would do best as a trail horse.  He's super lazy, and wants nothing more than to plod through the woods all day long.  He's only about 15 hands but a very stocky boy at that.

Then, there was Cami.  Oh Cami.

I was just about to take this girl home at the end of the day.  I was told Cami would be great for the clinic because she is afraid of life itself.  Terrified of people, and anything to do with them it is always a struggle to catch her and frequently ends with a very tense horse on the end of the line.  The photo above is from the first time I approached her.  I love that picture so much because of the bay, Scarlet, looking on in the background.  She's extremely protective of her nervous friend, and it's like she was watching to make sure Cami was ok.  Go ahead and break my heart why don't ya?

You know when you walk up to a horse and just click with them?  I did with Cami.  Whatever it was about our energy it just worked together.  And I don't say that often.  If I had the funds that sweet girl would be mine tomorrow yesterday.

And no clinic would be complete without playing with a mini baby horse.  

I can hardly handle the sight of him.  I immediately break out in squeaky "baby" voice and just want to squeeze him.

Hopefully I'll be back to regularly scheduled posts sometime in the near future!!