By the end of week 2 we had the saddle on and girth tight with Ariana. She strode around in circles confidently despite the strange thing wrapped around her ( Read more... )

Day 3 + 4 ( Read more... )

I decided to start breaking Ariana yesterday. She's a gorgeous chestnut and white Arabian/Paint filly, about 3 years old, that lives on our farm. I'd meant to start her last week, and then the week before, but each Monday rolled around and one thing or another left me too "tired" to drag myself out there ( Read more... )

There are a lot of easy jobs out there. Jobs that would have me quietly working from 9-5, indoors, making around $37,000 a year. Jobs that I could get. These past few months since leaving Bruce's farm, I've worked at a hotel which, while not a 9-5 job, has lulled me into a sense of complacency at work. Sure the boss can be a handful, and I sure ( Read more... )

I was alone this time as I ventured out to Bill's. I was trying to figure out how I would catch Buck alone and decided to just act as I would normally and see how Buck reacted ( Read more... )

I picked Howard up at his farm at the prearranged time a couple days later. He had lost his license due to "reckless driving" and would not be able to drive himself for a few weeks. This worked for me as I was getting paid for the driving as well as the horse work and money is money ( Read more... )

I met Howard at the farm he manages. He lives in the little apartment above the carriage house, next to the old stone bank barn, a style quite prevalent in this area. It was our first time meeting and the man, looking to be in his late 40's or early 50's, climbed right into my truck with little more than a wave. The smell of cigarrette smoke ( Read more... )

Life in Cochranville has been complicated lately. There was a falling out with Bruce which resulted in me leaving the farm and never going back. I miss the horses, and I miss Becky. I miss Pierrot Lunaire and his goofy monkey-see-monkey-do attitude. I miss his beautiful gaits and quiet demeanor which belies all the talent hidden in that big heart ( Read more... )

I always have trouble dragging myself to bed when James is gone. Getting up, turning off one TV, unplugging the laptop, gathering the animals together, turning off the lights, locking all the doors, getting the bed ready, gathering the animals, turning on the TV, setting the sleep timer, turning off the lamp, attempting to sleep... so much effort ( Read more... )

It was a long weekend working, both Saturday and Sunday, my normal day off. But James made Saturday better by coming over once I had the farm to myself and taking some pictures. He even let me give him a short lesson on Simon and then take him on a long trail ride. Sunday wasn't a terrible day's work, and I got out an hour early when James came and ( Read more... )