# The road to a Cowgirl...



## A knack for horses (Jun 17, 2010)

August 28, 2010

Today didn't go quite as planned; but it was an awesometasticful day!

I woke up early today, and got all the chores done around the house. Then I proceeded to gather my things I needed to take to the barn with me (My muck boots, my grooming kit, bottled water, etc.). 

So I rush out the door, all excited to see the horses again. I hopped into my car and drove to the barn. As soon as I got there, I went to check the time..........my cell phone is gone. :shock: After re-tracing my steps through the barn and frantically searching my car; I realized I left my phone on the counter at home. :-x Thus I had to drive all the way home, grab my phone, and come all the way back to the barn.

So after greeting all the horses, J (as I shall call my instructor) pulls up. He came in and fed the morning grain ration to the horses. After that he decided he would saddle and bridle Poco (his two year old mare that just started the breaking process) and take some pictures of her. That went extremely well for her 6th saddling and her second bridling. She hardly flinched. 

As J was getting ready to leave, he instructed me to do some ground work with Poco as he won't have time this afternoon to mess with her. He bid me farewell and went on to do whatever it was he needed to do that day.

Finally I get to actually cleaning the barn. I cleaned up the hay storage area and washed out the feed pans. All of that took about an hour. After all that was done and Joey had gotten his second neck scratch, I went and halterd Poco. I led her around in the big back pasture; periodically stopping, speeding up, or changing direction. Then I backed her a couple of times, followed by a rub down all over her legs, belly, chest, girth, neck and face. She did exemplary with everything, except when I got to her ears. She put her head up and stiffened her neck, but she realxed after a little bit. I even worked with her on disengaging her hindquarters a bit. She didn't get the concept of crossing her hooves at first, but later on she was moving around like a pro. (I actually taught a horse how to do something )

After she had learned to disengage her hindquarters, I thought I'd call it a day for Poco and led her back to the barn. As soon as I entered into the barn, R came in the door. (R is a talented horsemen in his mid/late 20's. He was raised here, but worked on his uncle's ranch in Mexico for years. R and J are good friends) I might have given a shriek had it not been for my ability to quickly subdue my fears when working around horses. 

Well, R had stopped by to clean up the mess his horse had made when leaving him in the back stall because of an emergency. So.....we got to talking. Being the socially akward person I am, I was really surprised when I had had a fluent, non akward conversation with him for almost two hours! And I don't really know this guy that well (I mean that we really hadn't had a conversation before this, not 'I can put a face to his name but thats it'. I know my stranger danger rules :lol.

It was nice to make a new 'friend', but I really didn't have time to do much else. So I cleaned out Poco's stall and hastily dust and swept the aisle in the back of the barn.

After saying goodbye to all the horses and making sure the gates were shut and all the lights turned off, I got into my car and came home.

And as promised...I shall share pictures of Poco!

Quote:
"A penny for my thoughts, oh on, I'll sell them for a dollar. They're worth so much more after I'm a goner. And maybe then you'll hear the words I've been singin', funny when you're dead how people start listenin'." The Band Perry-If I Die Young


----------



## A knack for horses (Jun 17, 2010)

Bump!!


----------



## GreyRay (Jun 15, 2010)

Aww, Poco is beautiful 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## A knack for horses (Jun 17, 2010)

GreyRay said:


> Aww, Poco is beautiful
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Thank you! I think she is pretty too.

August 29, 2010

After I did the dusting, folded the clothes, and did the dishes; I decided to go out to the barn and do a little more work.

It was a good day, but pretty uneventful. I cleared out the tack/supply area, reorganized some headstalls and halters on a hook, and attempeted to muck out the run in shed. It was unsucessful as I was being surounded by Joey and Sugar. (I later found out they were waiting for thier evening grain ration) 

After that I went and worked with Poco. I did everything I did yesterday, but something felt weird. I just shrugged it off. "I'm just being paranoid", I told myself. This feeling persists for about 5 minutes when I saw what was causing it. Standing right next to the barn.....was my instructor J. He had been standing there for the past 10 or so minutes, just observing me work with Poco. I went over to him, with Poco trailing behind. He said I was doing really well with her. After a short chat, he told me to give Poco her evening grain ration after I was done working with her and turn off the water pump before I left.

So I worked a little bit longer with Poco and gave her her grain. I went back into the barn and started sweeping the floor with the jank broom (literally, it would fall apart after 2-3 strokes then you had to fight to put the handle back on the broom, just ot repeat the process). After 15 minutes of fighting with the broom, I spotted some gorilla glue sitting on a shelf. I had one of those angelic "aaaaaaaaahhhhhh" moments. So I applied the gule, but those of you who are familiar with Gorilla gule know that the two pieces that ae guled together need to be clamped together. Well, I didn't want to stay there 2 more hours holding the broom together. Then I got an idea. I would just tie the broom to the handle with bailing twine. 

So I got this all tied tightly together when I realized, 'Why did I need to use the gorilla glue if being tied together would hold the broom together?' 

It held, and I just continued to sweep. I wish I had a picture of it, because that broom just looks like a epic fail. Thrifty, but an epic fail.

Well that is it for today. My Quote:

"Courage is being scared to death but Sadling up anyway"


----------

