"I can ride the spookers and the bolters and the rearers and the quitters" Jill said confidently, "but the buckers, well they just have to think about it and I'm flying through the air."
"You're brave" the harness racer'd said, scaring her in fact, because if he thought that she must be missing something. But, she wan not missing the fact he was bringing her an ice cap as a super surprise on such a hot day.
"You can see through those pants when the sun's behind you" he said, teasing and changing the subject. She was actually wearing cream coloured linen pants to muck out the stall that day. They were hand-me-downs from movie star cousins that she knew she'd never wear outside of the barn, but they were so cool, and felt so comfortable and it was so hot...
"I switched from polka dot underwear to a solid colour this morning in case that happened" Jill retorted, acting less mortified than she actually was...now she tried changing the subject,
"The last time I rode Farah she jumped a big rock in our path like it was a real obstacle. Isn't that cute? Doesn't that sound like a pony that WANTS to go cross?"
*
Later the same day, Jill was in the barn alone, tackling yet another disgusting corner of the standardbred breeding farm buildings. Cobwebs covered the tack on the hooks on the wall, and as she discovered more tack in the dusty piles on the floor, she just added the bits to the hanging mess, concentrating on "sorting" for the time being. Just to cobweb and sweep with things up of the floor and flat surfaces would be a huge improvement. She laughed out loud to find a bar of saddle soap on a shelf she was clearing, and Jim peeked around the corner of the doorway, surprising her with his presence, and his quizzical expression... "As if we need THIS around here" she showed him the unopened box.
They also had a quick conversation about the whiskey bottle she'd found back there, and flirted in their way as she continued her dirty work and he harnessed his (devil) pony. When the boss came in the barn Jim said, "Jill's been drinking in the barn again" and Jill shrieked and turned to see the boss's face as she told Jim to SHUT UP.
The boss laughed and then said to Jill, "EW, your face is dirty."
Jill shrugged and brought the inside of her t-shirt up to her face to wipe it. As she smeared it around her gritty grimy skin, she felt wet around her nose. Ick, was this a snotty, messy nose? EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW. Gross. She was grossed out and it was her own mess. Not to mention, it was mortifiying. And, in front of Jim of all people? In a way she wanted to die of shame but on the other hand, she tried to think "well, what's wrong with a dose of real life in a romance anyway?" Ug.
2007-06-28
2007-06-12
Free Fun
Was Jim joking when he said he didn't like to waste the water, or pollute the environment with the extra shampoo and so only washed his hair once a week?
"we have no preference here" said the large animal vet, to Jill, about the radio. She was thrilled to acknowledge she could put it on whatever station she'd enjoy! And, the small animal vet stocked the fridge with the pop/beverage of her preference... while the other (farrier) brother did his best to make her laugh and lift the heavy things. And, they were a family of SUCH gifted whistlers, Jill didn't even have the words!
*
Farah and I disturbed SOOOOOOOOO many dragonflies today, with our trot round the big feild in two point. my legs hurt today so it MUST have been good for us!
The day after my pony spooked at a butterfly, two huge ugly turkey vultures swooped down from a dead tree we were walking past and she didn’t even flinch (despite the fact that her rider even had a scared vibe)!
Our last trip out around the fields, we trotted. And, we had to pass a dump truck dumping to get out there! The most exciting part of our ride though, was the section of brush where a huge clatter started happening in the woods and it sounded like a crazy horse eating mammoth on the move towards us, or a scary sasquatch or something…farah spooked and bolted a little and I lost a stirrup and was a tiny bit unseated, though I didn’t fall off, and then what popped out of the forest in front of us (and looking MORE scared of us than we were of him) was a tiny red fox. He then trotted up the path the way we were headed, so we followed him quite a ways, hearts in our throat and all.
The last time Jill had spoken with Jim she remembered him wishing he was still cooking her dinner and complaining that he had no one to give flowers to since she left.
That morning while she sang Farah around the fields new to both of them, with their unexpected trillium, butterflies, tree breezes, rock piles, neighbouring junk and leaping squirrels, all spooking the tiny roan, she remembered singing to Ellie. And she also missed the hacks out with Jim to check on the burn pile.
She used to tell those powerful giants back then that the big pit was a horse coffin and they better be nice to her!
"we have no preference here" said the large animal vet, to Jill, about the radio. She was thrilled to acknowledge she could put it on whatever station she'd enjoy! And, the small animal vet stocked the fridge with the pop/beverage of her preference... while the other (farrier) brother did his best to make her laugh and lift the heavy things. And, they were a family of SUCH gifted whistlers, Jill didn't even have the words!
*
Farah and I disturbed SOOOOOOOOO many dragonflies today, with our trot round the big feild in two point. my legs hurt today so it MUST have been good for us!
The day after my pony spooked at a butterfly, two huge ugly turkey vultures swooped down from a dead tree we were walking past and she didn’t even flinch (despite the fact that her rider even had a scared vibe)!
Our last trip out around the fields, we trotted. And, we had to pass a dump truck dumping to get out there! The most exciting part of our ride though, was the section of brush where a huge clatter started happening in the woods and it sounded like a crazy horse eating mammoth on the move towards us, or a scary sasquatch or something…farah spooked and bolted a little and I lost a stirrup and was a tiny bit unseated, though I didn’t fall off, and then what popped out of the forest in front of us (and looking MORE scared of us than we were of him) was a tiny red fox. He then trotted up the path the way we were headed, so we followed him quite a ways, hearts in our throat and all.
The last time Jill had spoken with Jim she remembered him wishing he was still cooking her dinner and complaining that he had no one to give flowers to since she left.
That morning while she sang Farah around the fields new to both of them, with their unexpected trillium, butterflies, tree breezes, rock piles, neighbouring junk and leaping squirrels, all spooking the tiny roan, she remembered singing to Ellie. And she also missed the hacks out with Jim to check on the burn pile.
She used to tell those powerful giants back then that the big pit was a horse coffin and they better be nice to her!
2007-05-28
Observations
Jill didn't even notice that the standardbred stable mascot was a stallion. Was he well behaved or what?! She was glad that her boss had already said she was worth her weight in gold, had hinted about needing riding lessons and showed her the young filly she would learn/teach to jog (the term for running round the practice track with a sulky and yer shades).
And, it had not gone un-noticed how CUTE all(both) the farriers on the property were...
*
When the had their first date
"well, you are the first woman i have ever seen just get in my truck like that" Jim said
"what was i supposed to do?" Jill asked, not getting what he meant, and settling herself after stepping so high up into the cab, and slamming the door between them. Jim walked around to the driver's side smiling, "its so high. its so messy" he was imitating a woman's voice, and then said that most girls at least ask for help.
*
could it be that one of the men in that recent riding class was 76?
*
Jim was surprised and amused to see Jill smack the Sandman, with a backhand the colt did not see coming, as tried to get a little nippy over the stall door. The guests to the barn that day had laughed to see the brood mare drink the bucket right from the chore girl's not-yet-20-years in the making-arms, with the foal snooping around over momma's neck. With her hands full, Jill had nothing to push the nosy filly's face back with, so had used repeated pecks on the accidental pet's muzzle.
*
"you are sure lucky you found this place"
"seems so to me"
"these are good people here"
"seems so to me"
*
And, it had not gone un-noticed how CUTE all(both) the farriers on the property were...
*
When the had their first date
"well, you are the first woman i have ever seen just get in my truck like that" Jim said
"what was i supposed to do?" Jill asked, not getting what he meant, and settling herself after stepping so high up into the cab, and slamming the door between them. Jim walked around to the driver's side smiling, "its so high. its so messy" he was imitating a woman's voice, and then said that most girls at least ask for help.
*
could it be that one of the men in that recent riding class was 76?
*
Jim was surprised and amused to see Jill smack the Sandman, with a backhand the colt did not see coming, as tried to get a little nippy over the stall door. The guests to the barn that day had laughed to see the brood mare drink the bucket right from the chore girl's not-yet-20-years in the making-arms, with the foal snooping around over momma's neck. With her hands full, Jill had nothing to push the nosy filly's face back with, so had used repeated pecks on the accidental pet's muzzle.
*
"you are sure lucky you found this place"
"seems so to me"
"these are good people here"
"seems so to me"
*
2007-05-09
Tank Tops to Leg Cramps
are expressly written out of the appropriate riding apparel rules of two of the places i like to ride. like sandals as a safety issue?
at several other places i participate in horse activities, they are permitted.
in florida, i took it upon myself to address the risk issue with the boss. i said that while i was schooling Ellie dressage the day prior, while the lesson the boss was teaching was going on, i ended up boiling hot, but/because i didn't dare to take off my short sleeve shirt;
because all i had on underneath it was this: and i showed the boss the tank-with shelf yoga wear the flatchested me generally wears in leui of a bra.
the boss thought that such dress code would be fine, for hacking around the sunny private property, as long as i didn't think i could ride a sales horse for a potential buyer wearing something like that. just like jeans were okay sometimes. the boss also threatened to send a note to a former mentor, feigning surprise that i had initiated "topless tuesdays" ha ha ha
*
When driving back from Florida, Jill used the cruise control for the very first time. It was a total lifesaver, because for days (duh!) before that she'd been killing her thigh with the forced pressure/pose required for the looooooooooon drives. "It was such a relief -- my last day of driving was the longest, but also by far the easiest!"
Jill said when they finally thought to open the partition in the horse trailer for the big bay it provided a similar comfort for him.
at several other places i participate in horse activities, they are permitted.
in florida, i took it upon myself to address the risk issue with the boss. i said that while i was schooling Ellie dressage the day prior, while the lesson the boss was teaching was going on, i ended up boiling hot, but/because i didn't dare to take off my short sleeve shirt;
because all i had on underneath it was this: and i showed the boss the tank-with shelf yoga wear the flatchested me generally wears in leui of a bra.
the boss thought that such dress code would be fine, for hacking around the sunny private property, as long as i didn't think i could ride a sales horse for a potential buyer wearing something like that. just like jeans were okay sometimes. the boss also threatened to send a note to a former mentor, feigning surprise that i had initiated "topless tuesdays" ha ha ha
*
When driving back from Florida, Jill used the cruise control for the very first time. It was a total lifesaver, because for days (duh!) before that she'd been killing her thigh with the forced pressure/pose required for the looooooooooon drives. "It was such a relief -- my last day of driving was the longest, but also by far the easiest!"
Jill said when they finally thought to open the partition in the horse trailer for the big bay it provided a similar comfort for him.
2007-03-28
The Pony Club Test
The other rider called “inside” but Jill didn’t have enough control of her horse to make it work. Luckily the more skilled and confident equestrian changed course and avoided colliding with the only other pair sharing the arena. Thank goodness! You never knew what to expect on a show day like this, and Jill was relieved that riders from other stables were playing by rules she recognized AND that they could adequately adapt to change for everyone's benefit.
When her teacher had changed the line up and sent Jill to her pony club test on the greener horse, the teacher's very own, she'd said it was because the other student wouldn't be willing to switch mounts. But Jill knew it was a gift from her mentor, in that at least the younger beast had the benefit of very good training! She just hoped she'd be able to maximze that advantage.
When Jill told her friend about failing the pre-test simulation for time faults, despite all the compliments in regards to her style, her bud made a funny outraged faced and told a story about almost failing her driver’s lisence for “ONE Steamboat!” Jill just loved her pal's moxy. And she hoped luck would be with her on test day - while the level she was testing for was a stretch, she'd heard that the examiner's sometimes just asked all the right questions. "That's what I'm hoping for" she enthused, "Afterall, I got my driver's lisence without having to parallel park!"
When her teacher had changed the line up and sent Jill to her pony club test on the greener horse, the teacher's very own, she'd said it was because the other student wouldn't be willing to switch mounts. But Jill knew it was a gift from her mentor, in that at least the younger beast had the benefit of very good training! She just hoped she'd be able to maximze that advantage.
When Jill told her friend about failing the pre-test simulation for time faults, despite all the compliments in regards to her style, her bud made a funny outraged faced and told a story about almost failing her driver’s lisence for “ONE Steamboat!” Jill just loved her pal's moxy. And she hoped luck would be with her on test day - while the level she was testing for was a stretch, she'd heard that the examiner's sometimes just asked all the right questions. "That's what I'm hoping for" she enthused, "Afterall, I got my driver's lisence without having to parallel park!"
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