A Horse, of Course

I have it in mind to publish a post but I don’t have in mind what I want to express. I thought of the hierarchy diatribe but I did that last year at about this time. Then I thought about a lot of other things but can’t seem to settle on any one so I’m back to an old trick, i.e., start writing and see what comes out of the pipe.

The news is delivered on-line and on paper. Since I bought the roll around hospital table, put the laptop on it, and located it next to my seat at the kitchen table, I’ve got the news at my fingertips every day; even France2 television news where I can listen to what’s important to the French today. I have more fun with the on-line because there is the opportunity to comment. There are those who make a game/hobby/ diversion out of it and even argue with others who don’t subscribe to their thinking as expressed in their comments. There are even some who take umbrage at my comments, which are often made simply to get a rise out of the regulars. Some probably spend most of the day at the keyboard, commenting on comments made by others. Some of the “discussions” go on for days and there are several blocks of reply to quotes.

I am getting very close to buying a horse. I am particularly fond of Skippy, a horse I’ve been riding for a few months. He is somewhat young and inexperienced but willing and slowly getting into shape. Carola is upset with me because of this but I’ve told her, over and over, that this year is when I am going to get a horse of my own. Realistically, I only have a few more years of riding because sooner or later age, wear, and tear are going to take their toll on this body of mine. But I figure, if I can get five or six years more years of riding, I could conceivably get Skippy to the point of competing in events.

Let’s talk about this a little. The scenario would be to buy him from Carol and keep him at Mint Springs Stables. My status would change from rider to boarder; no more tack, or supplies from her. I need to ask her what the deal is for those who board their horses there. I want the facts of cost, what’s allowed and not, what approvals are necessary for using the facilities such as arena, jump field, jumps, wash rack, in which pasture he would be kept, and trailer rental.

Then, what about trailering? The horse would have to be trailer broken. I may have to get a vehicle capable of pulling a trailer. The incidental tack would not be a problem but I would need a winter blanket and a thick rubber pad for his withers. I wouldn’t want to do this on the cheap because when you pull into a show facility, there is an image that has to be maintained. Not that I want to make a big horse farm splash, but I want to be able to stand tall and be proud of my horse, my tack, and my rig.

There is no need to keep him at Mint Springs but I could continue to train him there as I am. I think it all depends on the deal. If she is willing to give and take on the use of the place and not be too picayune about what, where and when; then I would probably be as happy to stay there as move him.

The next thing is for what would I be using him? Cross-country, dressage, and stadium jumping is what I like to do the most including schooling at the Horse Park, or Masterson Station, after that trail riding in state and/or city parks, then competition but only on occasion to see how we stack up according to a judge. I may have to work with Carol to put her X-country course back into shape and that would be a major effort, requiring more than me working alone. But I see the remnants of a first class course.

This could get into a major time commitment, the riding, the training, the rebuilding, farm maintenance, and working to get the money together to maintain the horse. I think the monthly expenses would have to be earned or from economies from other activities but I would buy him and associated assets out of inheritance money.

This whole idea will have to be the subject of a planning project, starting with some creative thinking/ problem solving to get it all thought through. Probably the major thing is the question, why would I have a horse? The answer may well be that I would be better off without one. But then, why would I have a sailboat? Why would I have a business? Why would I build a house? Why would I get married? Why would I go to Europe, why would I do anything? The answer is always, because that’s what I want, that’s what I am driven to do. Most of what I have desired in life doesn’t stand the cold test of rational decision making. The sequence of events is, make the decision, and then figure out how to make it work. There is always that leap of faith that has to be made. One makes up his mind to do something and then do it.

The pattern seems to be romantic v. materialistic when it comes to devoting my time to an endeavor. When I think of devoting time and effort to “making money” I quickly lose interest in the process. It is a lot like design engineering, drudgery. The results were fun during the creative phase but then it became a matter of cranking out numbers. I think I’ve found my avenues: acting, pool, golf, and riding; the script, the cue, the club, the crop.