So far, I got everything done on my list except to make banana bread. I didn't wash Penny. The highs were in the low 70s, with a fair breeze, and though it might have been OK to bathe a horse, I decided she wouldn't like it all that much, so I just groomed her thoroughly.
Again, though the hay elevator was gone, she wasn't in the front area, which is where the barn owner said she'd be for the remaining days. She is probably happier with the herd, so I'm not complaining, other than she wasn't where I expected her to be, based on what I was told. Typical. I hope I'll be able to get her on Saturday morning.
Another boarder, who has been there longer than me, and her instructor, who used to be the barn owner's, too, till they recently had some sort of falling-out over the other boarder, who is new, but the instructor knows her from way back, were just getting ready to leave when I arrived, so I said good-bye to them, though I may see them around. The boarder knew the boy who I'll be boarding with from the barn where he took lessons and worked before he got his horse, and she said he's very responsible. I had thought as much when I met him and his dad, but it's nice to hear confirmation.
I just realized how entangled all the above paragraph is, but that's how it is in the horse world. Everybody know everybody else or knows someone who does. It's a small world. And conflicts and things arise. I think the barn owner is still on good terms with me and vice versa, though she's glad to see Penny go because her life will be simpler. I've often noticed that boarding barns like absentee boarders best, because they can do what they want w/o answering to anyone or having to adjust their lifestyle. Only Deb liked the boarders to be a friendly community who came to the barn often and were a social group. She's definitely the best barn owner from that standpoint. For care, though, no one could beat Stasia, which is where I boarded Penny before Deb's. Still, she and the other boarders were into competitive trail riding, sort of like endurance, and Penny wasn't up to most trail rides with others there, so the social scene was better at Deb's. The trails weren't as good, but there were places to ride and people to ride with. And Deb has the best parties for the boarders and a few miscellaneous other horse people! The problem with Deb's so I didn't want to go back there was that the board is double what I'm paying, which is mainly why I moved Penny, and she has a horrible mud problem. Also, I wasn't sure anyone there would fuss with giving Penny her meds (for Cushing's) and be sure she got the pills. For all her faults, the present barn owner went to great lengths to be sure Penny got her pills and ate them. The new boy promises to do the same, and we discussed how hard it is to give Penny her pills. I think he'll be up to the task and be capable of figuring out the best way for him to do it.
Now, off to make banana bread.
