On a Mini-Escape from the Ranch
On a mini-escape from the ranch and its routine duties, I'm posting from the circa 1915 cabin that Ed, my husband, and I use as--well--our place to go for mini-escapes. It's in a tiny, end-of-the-road town at the edge of the Clearwater National Forest, and a great place to slow down and collect one's thoughts. Not to mention, it's only about 45 minutes away from home. For a horsekeeper, that measure of proximity is important. I couldn't get the R&R value out of this cabin that I do if it were much farther away from the needs of our horses. I know I can get back there fast (relatively speaking) if I have to, and as any horsekeeper knows, the mind gets a lot of ease from that.
Which brings me to a subject I've never seen addressed, whether in the print-pub world or in the cyber-stream of forums, message boards, e-lists, bloggers, etc., that I tip my toes into.
The subject: How do those of us who keep horses at home GET AWAY from the beloved critters without feeling worried, guilty, harried, and otherwise stressed about their welfare?
If you're in this group, you know what I'm talking about. The human kids can go to Grandma's, the canine kids can go to a kennel if need be, but what do you do with 4.4 horses? That's the average number of horses owned and kept at home by the typical reader of Horse & Rider magazine, most likely a midlife woman who also holds down a job. (I fit this description perfectly. You?) So why don't we all come right out and admit that it'd be great if we could just "send the horses to camp" for a couple of weeks each year? What makes it so taboo to confess that we sometimes need vacations from the very animals around which our lifestyles spin? And what could we learn from one another's experiences in this deal?
Would love to get your thoughts--especially since it's snowing hard, to keep me right here in front of the woodstove for the next little while. As long as the dial-up connection holds out, we can remain in touch.
posted by Juli Thorson @ 10:01 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
Thankfully, the one thing I need to help me get away and truly enjoy a vacation is the one thing I've always had: good friends. Good human friends you can count on in a pinch, when you need them. Friends who know good horse health and can take care of Rosie as if she were their own.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about Diana Carey, who went way above and beyond the call after the killer tornadoes that ravaged central Florida earlier this year. She single handedly restored order and pretty much took care of 6 of her neighbor's horses after their barn was decimated. That's the kind of friends I'm talking about.
Like my dad says, in order to find a friend like that, you must first be a friend like that. I think of all the ways I failed to show the kind of friendship she did that day.
But still I try. Even though I blow it on a daily basis, still I try. I have to. That's what horse people do.
Sierra Lynch
Horse IQ
When I had my barn in Ohio, I would pay a young lady to stay at our house and take care of 3 dogs and 5 horses and 6 barn cats. She was a true horseman and loved to take care of all my gang. Granted, I paid her but it was well worth it.... I never went away for too long ,I loved my place it was a dream come true for me.....Now I'm retired and we have moved South...... You have a good write up in the new H&R on retirement.. Here's my deal now. NOt perfect for the horeman but workable when there are two different retires.......Sold the farm in Ohio. and moved to South Carolina home... Husband is a golfer- I'm the horseman and I love taking care of my horse and others too...But the retirement budget won't allow for now, my own place to keep my horse and be close to golf.too... So I compromise,,, (He did work all thoes years and travel all thoes miles so he could play golf in retirement and not fix fences and bushhog pastures)...South Carolina is great for weather and Horsemen especially around the Seneca and Clemson area..... We have wonderful trails. and Lots of clincs and Rodeos at the Garison Areana in Clemson,SC..Our climate is upper 30's winter mornnings and upper 50's and 60's days and upper 80's summer.We are in the northwestwern part of SC. Near the Blue Ridge Mountains, NC, and Ga,. Great riding .......I board my horse now for the first time in 40 years!!!! It was a struggle to let go of her care and let someone else feed and water and clean her stall and turn her out daily....I miss it !!But I was lucky and found another horsewoman who thinks like me and loves her horse boarders as her own!!...I don't ride as much but I still have my horse and that's what counts.!! I hope to someday get another place of my own just smaller acres maybe 5 to 8 ac. instead of my last 40 ac. farm.... But I DO MISS IT !!! It's who I am......... Thanks for listening Patti in SC
How do you...?
You don't =)
Mazaher, Italia
We live in a special rural neighborhood with very special neighbors. I'd like to say that we are like family here. We help each other and we look after each other. We have an older gentleman that lives on our road. We shovel and plow his snow and expect nothing in return. We are here for each other at a moments notice to take care of each others animals. We treat them like they are our own. We can take off for a few days without worrying about our four horses, four dogs, four cats, bunny, goldfish, and two geckos. Thank God for great neighbors.
My friend is actually the one that owns the horses, but I've been riding with her for years, so when it comes time for them to travel, I fill in & take care of all the animals.
So far it's worked great, even when they were out of the state for 10 days last year. I know all the horses, and they can get away knowing that someone who knows the horses & barn routines is taking care of everything.
We decided to lower the horse population. They have to fit in the four horse trailer. We just came back from 5 weeks of trail riding in AZ (awesome) We took 2 dogs, 3 horses and our neighbor took care of the barn cats. We could not leave without her and we really appreciate her.
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