Taking it in Stride

she sent the wrong picture, as a potential attachment for the article and worried she'd ruined her reputation for life!

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Jill had been telling her horse crazy kid friends how Beezy adjusted her stride and height to duck Jill under the branches, after two or three in a row whacked Jill in the face the clever mare made changes, that's what impressed Jill and some of her kid friends seemed interested to hear it.

But when the owner and fellow working students looked impressed that she'd noticed such a thing Jill was suprised to wonder what it meant that the mare was already taking care of her. The word was that she'd do anything for you, once she trusted ya. The trick was earning your way onto her good side.

A Two Horse Woman

while the rush home in your work skirt and hop on philosophy works great for the new trampoline in my life it is not quite as easy for the horses.

she was just thinking how that Moxie needed to be hacked, hacked, hacked and how maybe she should be the one to offer.

the owner said the trainer wanted him to do it, even tho he was the most novice of the bunch! and, he'd had a nightmare of the horse galloping down the road with him!

jill had stopped in on her way home from the office. she had her guitar in the back of the car but was wearing a skirt and had no change of clothes. of all the rotten l u c k

RSVP

Jill had just taken a message from someone inviting the boss to her hero's Christmas party. That is a night she had made a date with the accidental boyfriend be up at the big house. Having what she now saw as a groom-class bbq.

Jill reported that she didn’t get to ride that day. “That’s good, if you’re not feeling well” he guessed. "I consider riding therapeutic. And, I am definitely trending the right way health-wise, and was really hoping to get back in the saddle." There was to be no winning with her. She was miserable there and riding was the blessing that get her going.

Jill should have been flattered when she overheard the boss say “Your brother probably doesn’t have the patience to teach that.” as the accidental boyfriend explained how he'd learned his trot diagonals.

The boss had commented on something else constructive that day “That was good how he went in the washstall like that.” Jill was grateful that Buddy would behave for carrot bites. It gave her the only training too she had with him.

The boss's partner that day have given the carrot she said she'd specifically SAVED for bringing in Buddy to another animal -- and told Jill with a smile.

It is Sunday and we are not showing, Jill jotted a note in her daytimer. The boss announced "The schedule is a bit different today" and gave her the heads up on the next twenty minutes.
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"He rode some popcorn"

Out of the Frying Pan?

Jill had left one job unexpectedly and had taken another one quickly. She was being treated almost as poorly as the horses... at the end of one day, Jill sat down and listed the things she'd been yelled at for:

Show/sales horse’s legs are more swollen than the other staff member described.

Doorway was only partly shoveled and left open

Old guys blankets should be adjusted more, better etc.

Sweep dirt floor of feed room at old barn

Grey horse never needs his hood

Sales horse needs polos behind (not communicated til after turnout without)

Tie hayloft door tighter next time

With this many horses can’t spare staff for Expo

Leg straps done up wrong (did you put this on?)

“we turn out in worse than this”

Put this horse out before that (dressed already) one since we may not continue turning out

“stop flicking the whip” vs. “really go after him”

Calling your path vs don’t get caught in the corner

“he’s kicked me once” “he’s never kicked anyone”

“you can tell you’re nervous and that’s why he’s doing that”

If the boss saw the blanket in that position earlier, shouldn’t the boss have adjusted it?

The mud was almost as treacherous as the ice. She was had to walk in the (knee deep) snow instead.

She never had time to mention that she'd found the sales horse choking on a huge length of twine from the round bale in the paddock.

Postcard

Stardate Thurs. Dec 7, The Devil watch is flashing Tuesday.

My feet are wet and the manure truck is full which makes it a pain. It sounds like we aren’t getting shavings until Tuesday and I am stuffed up again and don’t own any Claritin.

Then the boss comes in and spends ages adjusting the noseband. Sometimes I hate this job.

Jill knew her chum would understand the frustration she wrote on the card before posting it.