Its been a few minutes since I've talked about my horse, so I thought I'd take a second and take advantage of everyone being a captive audience to ramble on about something you don't care about. ;-)
The day before yesterday (I think...all the days seem like one long day now, separated by homemade dinners that make me miss eating out more and more with each one), I went out to the barn (like I've been able to do EVERYday, and am loving). I was feeling good...I had just washed all my barn clothes, and was wearing my favorite combo. AND I have just officially switched out of my insulated rainboots and into my regular barn/cowboy boots. A very good sign that its finally drying out, its warm enough, and spring is here! I had just watched a terrible episode of Longmire on Netflix with Todd the night before where a barn, full of horses, caught on fire, and burnt down. It was sooooo hard to watch, and I couldn't wait to see Zinc, and spoil him with love. So I pull into the barn, ready to have the best day. As I drive down the driveway and towards the barn, I see a fancy truck I've never seen before. Strange but not completely unheard of. There is a new horse boarding with us now, maybe it was the new tenants? I head in to the barn to grab my lead rope (and treats, the only way I can trick my horse into loving me), and see this group of people at the far end of the barn. I never really counted them, but there had to be at least 7 of them. I understand now that 7 seems like a lot of people to be in 1 truck, but there were a lot of people. At least 2 teenage boys, a middle aged woman, two middle aged men. All I know is it seemed like a lot, and I had no idea who they were. Because of quarantine, I'm too afraid of people now, and realized my heart was pounding faster and faster at the thought of them trying to approach me, plus the really nice truck and large group size was super intimidating to me because for some reason, in my mind, that meant they knew a lot about horses, and if we got into a conversation about horses, a novice like me couldn't hold my own.
***Funny side story...when I first bought Zinc, I was added into the barn's group text message conversation. Everyone introduces themselves via text so you have their number, and then give a brief description of their horse so you know how is who. I had owned Zinc for about a month or so when another new boarder came to the barn. So we all did the little "hi, I'm Diana with Shooter, the black OTTB gelding".(those words might as well be in french to me - I could maybe sort them out if I had to, but I could also really mess them up). I had to chime in, but didn't know how to explain my horse with all the technical words. So I private messaged my trainer, and asked her what to say. She was driving at the time, and replied with the less than reliable voice to text, and it came thru on my end as "chestnut quarter horse with bog blaze". So in the group convo I pipe up with "hi I'm Amanda with Zinc, the chestnut quarter horse with bog blaze". Everyone in the group chat is sending laughing gif's, laughing faces, making jokes about it, and I have no idea what I said...I just thought those were the words that describe my horse!! I then find out that 'bog blaze' was supposed to be WIDE blaze (the white stripe down his face/nose). OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH. That makes more sense. Now I know. ;) So anyways, this is only part of my insecurity around talking about my horse to actual horse people. I have no less than a dozen more stories like this.
Okay, so I'm avoiding these people like crazy for 2 pretty big reasons to me. I grab what I need to and head out to the pasture to get Zinc. Lucky for me, Zinc decided to do something he hasn't done in quite a while, but as I went to put his halter on, he decides to run away. Perfect. Its been a while since I've had to chase him around the pasture. Always a fun time - NOT. If a horse decides to run from you, you chase them until they're begging to come to you for rest. Its this whole power struggle thing, and you have to prove that you're in control. They don't get to decide what they do, only you do. And Zinc can run. For a long time. I can't. I've spent as much as 50 minutes, in a dark, muddy, rainy pasture trying to keep that horse running until he decides he wants to come to me. He literally gives me a run for my money sometimes. Anyways, my very uncoordinated self is chasing my horse around the pasture. I got off kind of easy as he came to me after just a few bouts. As I am putting on his halter for real this time, I happen to look up at the back fence of the pasture, and all 25 of the strangers were standing along the fence line, watching me. Oh good. Just what I was hoping for. And yes, they did multiply, in my mind.
I try and shake it off, and keep the thoughts of those people just watching my horse running away from me out of my mind. I'm currently doing this challenge were you walk with your horse 100 miles in a month. Its supposed to help you bond with them, be less anxious about going new places, doing new things, breaks up the routine, etc. Zinc is a perfect angel when when I do the same thing everyday, but anything out of the routine, he likes to test me. So we've been walking around the perimeter of the whole property everyday to log miles. I tell you, its really working!! At first it was a huge struggle, and he was super tense not just walking from the pasture, to the arena, to his stall. We were going new places, thru trees, over creeks, around bends and up on hills. Visiting cows along new fences and even have walked (safely) on the street to the mailbox. Some days he's calmer and better than others, but so am I. ;)
We're out on our walk, trying new things and learning to trust each other, but Zinc was short on patience. We'd seriously take maybe two steps and he'd come to a completely dead stop. Like every muscle flexed, head up, holding perfectly still like a statue. I'd have to swing my rope at him to get him to move his hip and continue to come up with me. It was excruciating. He may be stubborn, but I have to be more stubborn. ;) I'm walking away from the barn area for maybe 45 minutes, but hardly covering any ground. Finally I decide that we've had enough for today, and will have to make up double the miles tomorrow to stay on track. I turn back to head in, and that whole group of people has moved around to the other side of the property I'm on, and are watching me AGAIN! Do they not have anything more exciting going on?? Honestly, I'm guessing not since we're all in quarantine.
Turns out the group of people are friends with the guy that owns the barn, and they were coming by to borrow a trailer, and spent the whole time I was dealing with my stubborn horse, chatting, and watching me for entertainment.
Anyways...I had really tried to forget this, and move on with the rest of my life, knowing this isn't the first time, nor will it be the last, I've humiliated myself. But today, I'm out at the barn, logging my miles and doing my adventure walk and talk (which was going better than the previous day), when the owner of the barn comes out to me. He is a really nice guy, and super helpful. He patiently answers all my questions, and does more for me than I could ever expect. He proceeds to give me some tips, and ways to work thru my issues, and even offers all the helpful information the group of people had mentioned when they were all watching me the day before.Great! Now I have confirmation that they did see it all, AND WERE TALKING ABOUT IT.
Fingers crossed tomorrow he's a good horse, and there's no audience. I mean, we are supposed to be at home after all! Although, on the days he's the horse dreams are made of, I wouldn't mind a small audience. ;)
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