Sometimes it's tough to be a "town" girl in a country setting. My whole life I have wanted a horse, but my dad always said I had to wait until we had some property to keep it on. Well, that never happened. As a result, I never learned how to take care of one. Now that I have one, I still don't take care of him; I am very blessed that he lives with Lynn and Shirley's herd and they take excellent care of him. At the least, that means breakfast at 5:30 am and dinner at 4:30 pm.
Since I am married to my work and it is a demanding relationship, I do not get to help feed very often. Maybe Tuesdays and sometimes Thursdays and Fridays during the week and then depending on the weekend schedule--hopefully Saturday and Sunday. Even then, it's only dinner. So I am really enjoying the horse experience from a very easy, nonresponsible perspective. Consequently, whenever the opportunity arises that I can help out my friends by doing the feeding chore and releasing them to do something else--I jump on it.
Yesterday was one of those days. Lynn assured Shirley, "Oh yeah, she can do it." HA! It started out fine, I filled up the hay wagon and got some grain. In my mind I planned out how I would take the grain to the feeders first, then do the hay--knowing the grain would settle them right down. So off I went.
First I had to yell at Jupes to move: he ran up and stood in the path looking at me, with a "Hi! What cha got for me?" look on his face. (He likes his chow, that boy!) He finally moved and I pulled up to Brady's feeder and turned off the four-wheeler. I gave them all some grain and then started putting hay out, stopping to pet and talk to each of them in turn. I started the four-wheeler and drove it down to the bottom feeder where Zigs was eating and unloaded his hay. There was some hay left in the trailer, so I left the motor running and carried it up to where Jupes was eating with Brady. In the meantime, the engine died.
No worries, right? Well, I couldn't get it started. So I trudged down to the house and told Lee. He walked up and got a gas can for me (while I listened to a lecture on checking the gas and oil) and I trudged back. Still wouldn't start.
Now he's clean and waiting for Lynn to come home so they can go to her brother's for a family dinner. We've had lots of rain and the ground is not only wet, but chewed up by horse hooves. Although the machine is stuck at the bottom of the feeding area and a little less mucky than up the hill near Star's box (where I almost stepped out of my rubber boot that got sucked into the mess!) it is still too muddy for someone who is about to go to dinner. Nevertheless, I walked back to the house--head hanging a little, sheesh, I can't even do this right!--to admit I couldn't do it and ask him for more help. I hate that!
This time Lynn is coming toward me through the field--good clothes on, but with her rubber boots. Thankfully it was not raining at the time. We walked back and she pulled out one knob and it started. (Don't you hate that!?) We drove back to the barn and she left me to fill it up again for morning. Okay--so I saved her from messing with the hay, but good grief! I am definitely a novice when it comes to being a farm girl.
Shirley once said I was a "girly girl." Dang it--I guess I am!
