(no subject)
It's been a long time since I have written, and I reckon it will be a while (potentially) before I do again. A lot has changed. I don't know what has even moved me to update my profile and write, but...
The main stuff...
- I have changed jobs and now work for the FDA. It was a rocky start, it's still rocky, but I like it a bit better now that I'm busy and have been moved under a group with an awesome boss. AWESOME boss. If only he had more influence.
- Sonic is semi-retired now. After months of stress, fear, days thinking we would have to put him down, misdiagnosis, and thousands of dollars, he is just...living in a field in the hopes maybe he will recover. He has EPM, a neurological disorder, and though medication helped get rid of it, it keeps coming back. In the meantime, he has many other soundness issues that cropped up. I feel heartbroken...he is 6 years old. What will he do for the next 20 years? What will *I* do with him for the next 20 years?
- 2007 has been the worst year of my life. Seriously. I have had so many health problems, busted my knee, broke my foot, tore my rotator cuff, my personal life is a TOTAL trainwreck, Sonic almost died (oh, like daily for a month or two), and there are days I can barely drag my sorry ass to work. Which, other than my cool boss and some very interesting learning opportunities, mostly sucks.
- 2007 was the best year of my life...because I met Slim. I have had many horses that I have been close to, but none since Tango have been...well, like this. In this case, not even Tango. And Slim, he is a competition partner, in an intense program. Slim, he runs to the fenceline when he hears my car coming, he whinnies when I get in the barn, he hangs his head out of his stall watching every move and waiting. Before I put his bridle on before every ride, we have a hug - he puts his little head on my chest, and I tell him that we will have a very nice ride, and I will work hard to be balanced and straight today, and he is my best friend, he teaches me so much. And then off we go. He knows, "Can I have a kiss?" And sticks his nose up so I can give him a big smooch. This creature has kept me sane.
And beyond all of that...I am a million times the rider I was, because of Matt, my coach, and Slim. I never, ever believed I would own a horse like this. Good god, I never believed I would buy a 5-figure horse in the first place, but...it truly was a match made in heaven. Who knew. He is tiny, only 15.1hh on a good day, a little mahogany bay with a teeny star, and truly is the absolute cutest horse I have ever seen. Sonic, he is majestic and beautiful, but Slim is literally ADORABLE. He's scared of his own shadow, but when you come down to it, I think his confidence level about life is about where mine is, so it's okay. I'm learning to be there for him to help him be confident.
I switched to eventing, which I babbled about over a year ago, but seriously do now. I went to my first jumper show this weekend and just piddled around in the warmups...Slim was a saint, and when I checked out from nerves, he figured he'd just take matters into his own hands, even over fences. What a good boy. Saturday I will do the Level 2 (OMG lame) at another show. We'll just keep hammering away at Stadium and dressage this winter, go to Aiken for a week or two for winter training with Matt, and then start out doing Beginner Novice in Spring.
Dan says Slim is my horse soul mate. It's funny after the hell this year has been that this entire entry is about Slim, but he deserves it. I will never forget the day that Matt called me, when I was tacking up a little hunter pony to school for a friend, and said, "Where are you? Can you come to the barn? I have a present for you..."
And he had found Slim and brought him home. Matt is the other best thing that has ever happened to my riding career. I can never thank him enough. After I bought Slim, after he refused to take a commission on a sale that is not small, and that HE picked out for me, he waived training fees because he knew I could barley afford to buy Slim and pay the board at one of the best facilities in the state. He loses so much money on me, but we still have two formal lessons a week, he coaches me at shows, and if we are riding together he will coach me a bit then too. How did I get so lucky? I can never repay him for doing this, because god knows I couldn't pay top training fees right now like this. I make his website, I do all his admin stuff that I can, but it isnt enough.
So...2007 has been horrendous. But I got my perfect pony, and I did buy a new car...finally got my SUV, a Jeep Liberty. It's neat. :) But the best part is Slim...he gets one day off a week, and it's the worst day I have.
I hope everyone on my FL has had an okay year....happy holidays!
The main stuff...
- I have changed jobs and now work for the FDA. It was a rocky start, it's still rocky, but I like it a bit better now that I'm busy and have been moved under a group with an awesome boss. AWESOME boss. If only he had more influence.
- Sonic is semi-retired now. After months of stress, fear, days thinking we would have to put him down, misdiagnosis, and thousands of dollars, he is just...living in a field in the hopes maybe he will recover. He has EPM, a neurological disorder, and though medication helped get rid of it, it keeps coming back. In the meantime, he has many other soundness issues that cropped up. I feel heartbroken...he is 6 years old. What will he do for the next 20 years? What will *I* do with him for the next 20 years?
- 2007 has been the worst year of my life. Seriously. I have had so many health problems, busted my knee, broke my foot, tore my rotator cuff, my personal life is a TOTAL trainwreck, Sonic almost died (oh, like daily for a month or two), and there are days I can barely drag my sorry ass to work. Which, other than my cool boss and some very interesting learning opportunities, mostly sucks.
- 2007 was the best year of my life...because I met Slim. I have had many horses that I have been close to, but none since Tango have been...well, like this. In this case, not even Tango. And Slim, he is a competition partner, in an intense program. Slim, he runs to the fenceline when he hears my car coming, he whinnies when I get in the barn, he hangs his head out of his stall watching every move and waiting. Before I put his bridle on before every ride, we have a hug - he puts his little head on my chest, and I tell him that we will have a very nice ride, and I will work hard to be balanced and straight today, and he is my best friend, he teaches me so much. And then off we go. He knows, "Can I have a kiss?" And sticks his nose up so I can give him a big smooch. This creature has kept me sane.
And beyond all of that...I am a million times the rider I was, because of Matt, my coach, and Slim. I never, ever believed I would own a horse like this. Good god, I never believed I would buy a 5-figure horse in the first place, but...it truly was a match made in heaven. Who knew. He is tiny, only 15.1hh on a good day, a little mahogany bay with a teeny star, and truly is the absolute cutest horse I have ever seen. Sonic, he is majestic and beautiful, but Slim is literally ADORABLE. He's scared of his own shadow, but when you come down to it, I think his confidence level about life is about where mine is, so it's okay. I'm learning to be there for him to help him be confident.
I switched to eventing, which I babbled about over a year ago, but seriously do now. I went to my first jumper show this weekend and just piddled around in the warmups...Slim was a saint, and when I checked out from nerves, he figured he'd just take matters into his own hands, even over fences. What a good boy. Saturday I will do the Level 2 (OMG lame) at another show. We'll just keep hammering away at Stadium and dressage this winter, go to Aiken for a week or two for winter training with Matt, and then start out doing Beginner Novice in Spring.
Dan says Slim is my horse soul mate. It's funny after the hell this year has been that this entire entry is about Slim, but he deserves it. I will never forget the day that Matt called me, when I was tacking up a little hunter pony to school for a friend, and said, "Where are you? Can you come to the barn? I have a present for you..."
And he had found Slim and brought him home. Matt is the other best thing that has ever happened to my riding career. I can never thank him enough. After I bought Slim, after he refused to take a commission on a sale that is not small, and that HE picked out for me, he waived training fees because he knew I could barley afford to buy Slim and pay the board at one of the best facilities in the state. He loses so much money on me, but we still have two formal lessons a week, he coaches me at shows, and if we are riding together he will coach me a bit then too. How did I get so lucky? I can never repay him for doing this, because god knows I couldn't pay top training fees right now like this. I make his website, I do all his admin stuff that I can, but it isnt enough.
So...2007 has been horrendous. But I got my perfect pony, and I did buy a new car...finally got my SUV, a Jeep Liberty. It's neat. :) But the best part is Slim...he gets one day off a week, and it's the worst day I have.
I hope everyone on my FL has had an okay year....happy holidays!