Horse Barns Stink

Category: Getting my garden started | Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:16 pm

It was a cold day, but everyone wanted to see the horses, so we bundled up, piled into the car, and headed toward the barn. It's normally about a twenty minute drive from our house to the barn, but the roads were snow covered and good sense prevailed as it took about 1/2 hour to get there. During the drive both kids fell asleep, when we got there, Alex, the 3 year old woke up, and Connor the 4 month old remained asleep. Couldn't have asked for better results.
I maintain that the work / pleasure ratio of owning and riding horses is way out of whack, into the negative, and I'll tell you why. Mimi will be gone from home on a normal day of riding for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, and ride for 1/2 hour. The majority of that time is spent driving there and back, grooming the horse before and after the ride, cleaning tack, and cleaning the barn isle, and who knows what else. And that's when she is there alone, If her friend Judy is there at the same time, you can add an hour to the afore mentioned time. Of course that's from the eyes of a non rider, one that thinks that horse barns smell bad. Anyway on this day, Mimi and Jo Ann got the 2 horses ( Mimi's friend Judy let us use her horse Sidney) out of their stalls and started the ritual all riders seem to go through prier to riding. Little Alex was a combination of questions .... and great authority as he continued an oratory worthy of a presidential candidate. He reminded me of a character from the movie Jeremiah Johnson, with Robert Redford. A fellow mountain man that couldn't stop talking, even when he was alone. Soon they were riding in the indoor ring, maneuvering around the unorganized jump standards and rails that were there to be used in lessons. Alex and I were relegated to a far corner of the ring watching the steam from our breath as it wafted up and disappeared into the air, and the occasional passing of horse and rider as they worked their way around the riding area. I had 2 cameras, one of which was mine, and was told to get some good pictures of them having fun. After about 20 minutes of breath watching, horse watching, and some picture taking, and of course missing the time that Gwenny bucked, and missing the time Mimi went over the rail, and getting Jo Ann's back as she cantered past, they decided it was time for Alex to get a chance. And, could I please do a better job getting his picture. I handed him up to his mom who set him astride just in front of her in the saddle. I did get a few good shots of them together, and after several trips around, I could hear Alex explaining, as only a 3 year old can, why he should be allowed to do it himself. "Yes Mom", "I do know how to ride" he insisted, "I can do it myself". So the decision was made to put him up on Gwenny, the smaller older and more docile of the two horses. Jo Ann led him around a couple times. Again I was Johnny on the spot with the cameras and got a couple nice shots. All this time Conner slept in his car seat in the warm office, where I could keep an eye on him through a nearby window.
After the riding, the horses were again led into the isle, and put into cross ties, where the post ride ritual began. Alex's interest only lasted so long, and he became my responsibility to entertain. That's ok, because he was interested in looking at other horses. We went walking around outdoors and looking at the horses kept out there. Finally, with all the post ride chores completed, we headed to the local restaurant for something to eat. As we sat there at the table awaiting our food order, I began to think about the poor folks at the table next to us, were they wondering if we had come from a horse barn or what. I'm sure they were just being polite, biting their collective tongues, and left quickly. Or,... maybe it was just my imagination. Anyway, the squash soup with blue cheese was absolutely superb.

Tom

It's yucky cleaning a horses foot, right Mom

Horses have bad breath, right Mom

That's Pablo, Dark horse next to the hay pile. Born this spring

It's been a tough day riding, Right Mom

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Comments

Netty wrote on Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:29 am:

Sounds like a great day to me Tom...I like the smell of horse barns! Alex looks like he had fun too.

Biita wrote on Sat Dec 01, 2007 1:40 am:

That was a great day Tom,, an the pics are good shots no matter what they say,, expecially the last one,, thats a keeper,,lol.

Jeremiah Johnson is an awesome movie!

cajunbelle wrote on Sat Dec 01, 2007 3:18 am:

Love the pictures Tom. I used to ride, when I was young. I love horses. Do y'all have access to the manure, makes great organic matter for the flower beds. Alex it too adorable.

glendann wrote on Sat Dec 01, 2007 7:56 am:

Those are great shots. Alex is a cutie.Sounds like a wonderful day to me Tom.

Droopy wrote on Sat Dec 01, 2007 9:08 am:

Horse barns do not stink. Cows do. I rent stable boxes with just a door between the horses and the cows. My horses smell of sweaty cow when we work. Lovely photos! Especially the last one.

CritterPainter wrote on Sat Dec 01, 2007 11:20 pm:

Well now there ya see, it's all a matter of what you are used to. Horses, to me, are a huge waste of time and money (love the animal, hate the high-maintenance). But plop me in the middle of a barn full of holsteins, and I'm a happy camper. The smell of the cows and the hay is just ripe with happy memories for me. And anyone who'se spent a peaceful childhood time being snuffled by baby cows knows exactly what I mean.