Nicole, this is for you, only because you asked!

I'm deadddd tired!

Anyways, it was requested that I discuss the first few days of my new working experience, so here I am, typing like a tard out of exhaustion!

I don't whine, nooooo way ;)

Anyways, I started my first day on Monday afternoon, and I only worked a few hours to cover the p.m. turn around and 'get my feet wet', as I so delicately put it. It was pretty standard stuff. Feed, bring some in, turn some out, clean a few stalls (and seriously, just a few. Like...three. AND she beds super light! Booyah! As we said in the nineties!) So all in all, it was very straight forward. No one was hovering and supervising, it was just do the work and you're free to go. Pretty fantastic! She does ask that we clean the manure out of the fields regularly (6 fields, 2 per day). I find this a little strange, though I understand the philosophy behind it, worms and all. But hey, if she wants to pay me bankroll to pick piles of poop out of the grass, I'm A-Okay with that!

When it was all said and done, I felt pretty darn good about the day.

Tuesday I had off because there wouldn't be anyone around to continue to show me the ropes because they were all going to school Waredaca (xc facility, for those of you not from MD). I had planned for my trainer to come out and help with my horses, but as most of you know, that of course didn't wind up working out. Instead, Amanda came over and jumped Sir Patrick around a bit and played with the bounces some more. I let her hack Bella, too, just so she could start working on her feeling a bit more. She's such a good little rider, she just needs to ride horses that help teach her, instead of the usual vice versa. Bailey worked in the chambon like a superstar, and continued to be amazing through the 2.80m canter poles. I. Love. Her.

Then this morning I had my first 'long' a.m. shift with the current manager, Megan. I really like her. She's knowledgeable without being cocky or patronizing (which all of you know is a rare combo in the horse world), and my own age, which is pretty great. She has a good routine down at the farm, and it kept us busy for the full 5 hours we were set to work. We did the basic barn care (in the pouring rain, and guess who didn't have a raincoat and wore a tank top? Yup, this girl) and then lunged two horses. When I say lunged, I mean stuck on a lunge line and let work in a circle. Nothing fancy, just plain 'ole 'stretch your legs' kinda stuff. So. Easy.

Everyone is super nice there, too. This is like the twilight zone for me. I'm so used to backstabbing, jealous individuals who are instantly skeptical about your motives upon entering 'their territory'. It's like a snarky wolf pack, 'ya know what I mean? None of these people are like that, and everyone is more than willing to answer questions or help you out. Ahhh, so refreshing!

Then Amanda came over again today and my trainer finally showed up. Can I get a 'hooray'?!?! It's about time!

He had Amanda jumping Patrick over some pretty amazing stuff. I video taped it all, so you'll get videos tomorrow when I'm not dead ;) They jumped over a 3'6" oxer, which is 6" higher than either of them had ever jumped before, and man let me tell you...that little $500 chestnut boy of mine can JUMP! I was literally standing there picking my jaw up off the floor.

My trainer says if I get auto lead changes on him (aka two weeks of work, at the most) that he'll take him to the shows and I could probably get $15,000 for him. Uhhh. What? Like, are we talking in yen....? My little boy is all grown up!

Then, since he conveniently forgot his half chaps, I hopped up on Bailey. Of course, being the impatient South American he is, he set up a little tiny baby cross rail for her. I whined and protested the idea for about 15 minutes before giving into my curiosity about her jumping ability. I have it on video, which will also come tomorrow, but that's all I'm going to say.

I'm leaving you with a cliff-hanger...stay posted for a followup. Hahahaha, I'm mean! Sorry!