(no subject)
i've got about an hour or so before i have to get moving. going to T-ball, believe it or not, to show some support for my friend Rhiannon. She witnessed (along with her team of 6-10yo's) a violent encounter b/w father and son last week & issued a formal complaint thru the association & as a result is being victimised by the club.
crazy. looks like she's one of the few ppl at the club on the side of the kid. she also realised that in a club of idk, 50 families, she's the ONLY one with a "Working with children" check. this is a thing that ALL teachers, student teachers, education assistance, youth workers, psychologists... you name it, HAVE to have if we are in any way associated with kids. INCLUDING if you are doing non-paid work. however, parents apparently don't have to get one if they have a kid in the same organisation. dodgy, huh? especially when you consider that 80% of abuse occurs by a family member.
four of us girls went to dinner at a fancy restaurant last night called "The Blue Duck". it is RIGHT on the beach and it was pretty special being able to not only see the ocean, but all the birdlife and other wonders. very cool. dinner was... okay, but company was better. we all used to work together at some stage. i had a moment of thinking, "o we're like the SATC crew" except we're not, lol. we talk A LOT about teaching and not much about other things. i'm very close with rhiannon and kirstie, but not so much Jo. tho we go and do lots of stuff together. anyways.
rhi and jo are departing on sunday for the USA. they have 3 days in LA before going on a kontiki tour across the southern states & ending up in NYC. yes, i am slightly jealous, but i cannot justify spending $5k on a debauched & drunken tour of a country i'd rather do on my own & see people i actually care about rather than fellow tourists.
and kirstie is (get this!) going with her husband to europe! they're spending christmas week in paris & have even rented a flat (kirstie speaks french). then they're travelling through europe.
!!!
fuck i wish i was significantly better with my money so i could afford stuff like that. i do get comfort tho knowing that both jo and rhiannon live AT HOME so have no outside fucking costs. and kirstie is married to an accountant who has forced her to be in control of her money.
it's alright for some to still live at home. i moved out when i was 17 for uni & never went back apart from holidays. THANK GOD or else i am pretty confident i would be...
idk, just not present or something.
last night when rhi was debriefing about the violent encounter i admitted that sometimes some people DO just think that's perfectly acceptable to be like that. i was raised in a house where emotional abuse was very commonplace & fists were also brought out.
idk, i'm just musing about some people being comfortable and happy to still live with their parents when they're in their late 20's etc. i would LOVE to have that relationship where i can get on with my life without interference or criticism - and i live 3 hours away from my dad! gawd.
on the horse front, i have been having bad ride after bad ride with beejay. i thought i'd break it up a bit on monday with some long reining. my bad for putting him in the arena rather than the round yard because, as usual, he had a shy at the usual spot. this resulted in a) a broken roller and b) him galloping all over the arena for about 10 mins whilst i just watched. trailing 2 lunge ropes, mind you. oh, and c) i'm a cripple in my right arm cos i tried to hold onto him. fortunately, no rope burn (thank god for awesome Monty Roberts lunge ropes - i DO endorse THAT product, that's for sure).
i thought he was going to go thru a fence. eventually caught him & muttered about what a cunt he was whilst i covered up the divots that he'd dug in the arena.
which btw paul hasn't graded for.... MONTHS. i can't even rememeber the last time the arena was graded. wtf????
so got on and had a ride & his spirit just isn't in it.
he's definitely sore through his lower back (old usual spot) and i noticed the angles in his back hooves are fucking terrible! VERY long toe, very low on the heel. WTF??? how did this happen? why the fuck did i not notice it? he's getting his toes done today tho, thank god so we can address that area. i think phil is a bit unfocused due to his chronic pain & has perhaps let his formerly quality farrier-ship slide a bit. i'll have to mention that to him today, obviously.
i've been massaging & currying him & kelli's worked on him a bit as well. thinking i might get Equestricare out to do a laser treatment on him too. he's getting his teeth & a drench done next friday as well.
and some time off. i think really he's just sour. we've had a big year with a LOT of fairly concentrated riding, so maybe 3 weeks off with just some games & grooming, then back into it in the new year. i want to get onto some trails as well.
i *almost* had a lil breakdown on monday ride whilst riding fucking small circles for the 20millionth time this year, but managed to shake myself out of it, especially when he stopped BEING A FREAK and started being a horse.
SUCH a lovely, fantastic horse and i know we have come a long way this year, but the knowledge that (with me at least, and that's all that matters cos i am his owner & rider) he will ALWAYS be a bit sticky, a bit wired, a bit unfocused gets to me sometimes. i am just not a good enough or patient enough rider to get the best out of him. which makes me depressed if i think about it long enough. i also think i have worked fucking HARD to get such a significant improvement in the way we ride *together*... but is it always going to be this hard?
and that's why taz is just a complete god-send and wonder and gift. i can't believe i have been so blessed to first find and then buy such a wonderful horse. i am *never* worked up or angry or upset when i am with him. i just enjoy being around him. he does have his issues, but they're never a *problem*, they don't stop us from doing shit.
lately i've been riding him *halter-less*. can you believe it? there is a lot of refining needed, obviously, but the idea is there. i can't believe i'm lucky enough to have a pony that will not only tolerate that, but also appear to enjoy himself too.
it is so good to be able to potter around on and experiment with my pony so my brain is clear for when i ride my horse. sometimes i still think about selling beejay & how he'd just go so much better with someone else, but i am selfish & don't want to do that. we are heading into 4 years together - can you believe it? what a journey.
i think if i sold him i would not get another 'fancy' horse. i'd scale down the riding situation dramatically & just potter with taz. have to buy a house & have babies & be a grown up in some way soon.
was going to go to a horseshow tomorrow (pre-entered) but it has been postponed due to predicted 41deg heat in the area. THANK GOD. my horse is unhappy for one, PLUS i just don't do heat.
there's been some controversy over it, as some ppl think we should just suck it up, but it's not as if it's a major show or anything. it's a fundraising show for a Horse Rescue association... so the horses need to come first.
anyway.
broke for christmas, as usual.
am going to make some rocky road for everyone (i think) and also buy an electric razor for jeddie. i've been reading reviews but does anyone have any suggestions???
crazy. looks like she's one of the few ppl at the club on the side of the kid. she also realised that in a club of idk, 50 families, she's the ONLY one with a "Working with children" check. this is a thing that ALL teachers, student teachers, education assistance, youth workers, psychologists... you name it, HAVE to have if we are in any way associated with kids. INCLUDING if you are doing non-paid work. however, parents apparently don't have to get one if they have a kid in the same organisation. dodgy, huh? especially when you consider that 80% of abuse occurs by a family member.
four of us girls went to dinner at a fancy restaurant last night called "The Blue Duck". it is RIGHT on the beach and it was pretty special being able to not only see the ocean, but all the birdlife and other wonders. very cool. dinner was... okay, but company was better. we all used to work together at some stage. i had a moment of thinking, "o we're like the SATC crew" except we're not, lol. we talk A LOT about teaching and not much about other things. i'm very close with rhiannon and kirstie, but not so much Jo. tho we go and do lots of stuff together. anyways.
rhi and jo are departing on sunday for the USA. they have 3 days in LA before going on a kontiki tour across the southern states & ending up in NYC. yes, i am slightly jealous, but i cannot justify spending $5k on a debauched & drunken tour of a country i'd rather do on my own & see people i actually care about rather than fellow tourists.
and kirstie is (get this!) going with her husband to europe! they're spending christmas week in paris & have even rented a flat (kirstie speaks french). then they're travelling through europe.
!!!
fuck i wish i was significantly better with my money so i could afford stuff like that. i do get comfort tho knowing that both jo and rhiannon live AT HOME so have no outside fucking costs. and kirstie is married to an accountant who has forced her to be in control of her money.
it's alright for some to still live at home. i moved out when i was 17 for uni & never went back apart from holidays. THANK GOD or else i am pretty confident i would be...
idk, just not present or something.
last night when rhi was debriefing about the violent encounter i admitted that sometimes some people DO just think that's perfectly acceptable to be like that. i was raised in a house where emotional abuse was very commonplace & fists were also brought out.
idk, i'm just musing about some people being comfortable and happy to still live with their parents when they're in their late 20's etc. i would LOVE to have that relationship where i can get on with my life without interference or criticism - and i live 3 hours away from my dad! gawd.
on the horse front, i have been having bad ride after bad ride with beejay. i thought i'd break it up a bit on monday with some long reining. my bad for putting him in the arena rather than the round yard because, as usual, he had a shy at the usual spot. this resulted in a) a broken roller and b) him galloping all over the arena for about 10 mins whilst i just watched. trailing 2 lunge ropes, mind you. oh, and c) i'm a cripple in my right arm cos i tried to hold onto him. fortunately, no rope burn (thank god for awesome Monty Roberts lunge ropes - i DO endorse THAT product, that's for sure).
i thought he was going to go thru a fence. eventually caught him & muttered about what a cunt he was whilst i covered up the divots that he'd dug in the arena.
which btw paul hasn't graded for.... MONTHS. i can't even rememeber the last time the arena was graded. wtf????
so got on and had a ride & his spirit just isn't in it.
he's definitely sore through his lower back (old usual spot) and i noticed the angles in his back hooves are fucking terrible! VERY long toe, very low on the heel. WTF??? how did this happen? why the fuck did i not notice it? he's getting his toes done today tho, thank god so we can address that area. i think phil is a bit unfocused due to his chronic pain & has perhaps let his formerly quality farrier-ship slide a bit. i'll have to mention that to him today, obviously.
i've been massaging & currying him & kelli's worked on him a bit as well. thinking i might get Equestricare out to do a laser treatment on him too. he's getting his teeth & a drench done next friday as well.
and some time off. i think really he's just sour. we've had a big year with a LOT of fairly concentrated riding, so maybe 3 weeks off with just some games & grooming, then back into it in the new year. i want to get onto some trails as well.
i *almost* had a lil breakdown on monday ride whilst riding fucking small circles for the 20millionth time this year, but managed to shake myself out of it, especially when he stopped BEING A FREAK and started being a horse.
SUCH a lovely, fantastic horse and i know we have come a long way this year, but the knowledge that (with me at least, and that's all that matters cos i am his owner & rider) he will ALWAYS be a bit sticky, a bit wired, a bit unfocused gets to me sometimes. i am just not a good enough or patient enough rider to get the best out of him. which makes me depressed if i think about it long enough. i also think i have worked fucking HARD to get such a significant improvement in the way we ride *together*... but is it always going to be this hard?
and that's why taz is just a complete god-send and wonder and gift. i can't believe i have been so blessed to first find and then buy such a wonderful horse. i am *never* worked up or angry or upset when i am with him. i just enjoy being around him. he does have his issues, but they're never a *problem*, they don't stop us from doing shit.
lately i've been riding him *halter-less*. can you believe it? there is a lot of refining needed, obviously, but the idea is there. i can't believe i'm lucky enough to have a pony that will not only tolerate that, but also appear to enjoy himself too.
it is so good to be able to potter around on and experiment with my pony so my brain is clear for when i ride my horse. sometimes i still think about selling beejay & how he'd just go so much better with someone else, but i am selfish & don't want to do that. we are heading into 4 years together - can you believe it? what a journey.
i think if i sold him i would not get another 'fancy' horse. i'd scale down the riding situation dramatically & just potter with taz. have to buy a house & have babies & be a grown up in some way soon.
was going to go to a horseshow tomorrow (pre-entered) but it has been postponed due to predicted 41deg heat in the area. THANK GOD. my horse is unhappy for one, PLUS i just don't do heat.
there's been some controversy over it, as some ppl think we should just suck it up, but it's not as if it's a major show or anything. it's a fundraising show for a Horse Rescue association... so the horses need to come first.
anyway.
broke for christmas, as usual.
am going to make some rocky road for everyone (i think) and also buy an electric razor for jeddie. i've been reading reviews but does anyone have any suggestions???