Found a Trainer!

[O So]

I am pretty excited! Today I stopped by the stables that I take O So to, in the hopes that I could talk to lady that is in charge of it. She is kind of a friend. Kind of because it is one of those friendships that you only talk when you are at the same place. Don't do to much talking other then that. Anyway, I was talking to her about finding someone to teach me and O So how to drive. She got all excited and said yah, she knew someone. Then she said, "Me"! I asked her what she would charge and she said nothing. That's a plus for me! LOL

She wants me to bring O So down there on the next sunny day so we can start on the ground driving. She also asked me what kind of bit I had and then recommended that I got an eggbut (sp) snaffle to start him in. She said it is more forgiving on a newbie. I'm going to wait till after she sees what I have for O So now though. I want to make sure I buy the right size and all and she should be able to tell me how the current bit is fitting.

Then, she asked me if I knew anyone that needed a job. Told me she was looking for a full time care taker. They could live right there at the stables. I didn't really know anyone but I did tell her I could work part time for them. So, now I start this coming Friday. LOL I train on Friday and will probably be doing it alone on Monday and Tuesday of next week. All I will be doing is cleaning the stalls, but hey, it's extra money!! The neat thing is, I can take O So down there and let him run while I am working! So it is a win win!! Right now it may only be a part time, part time job. LOL The normal guy got hurt so I will be basically working the 2 days so the other girl can have some time off. Once the other guy gets better, I may not be needed, but that's ok. She did kind of say they were thinking of having a part time person besides the 2 full time people, so who knows?

Another good thing may have happened to me today besides the trainer and job. I was talking to one of the boarders, telling her that I would love it if someone that didn't have much time for their horse, would let me take care of it for them. She said, "for a matter of fact, there is one right now"!! She told me that this older lady is willing to pay someone to turn out her horse. I guess her daughters don't really want to do it and the guy that was doing hurt his back. The boarder told me that the horse has terrible ground manners, but is the best under saddle! So I am hoping I may even get to ride it!! The only bad thing is, it may, if it even starts, no last for a real long time. I guess the lady is trying to sell the horse. Thing is she is asking top dollar for it, and it is a bad economy to do that right now! I'm going to call the lady tomorrow about taking care and possibly riding the horse for her!

Now in a perfect world, I would love it if, the lady that owned the horse ends up just giving it away. To me of course! LOL And then I would be able to work at the stables part time for boarding fees instead of actual pay!

Hey, a girl can dream can't she? LOL

So all in all, today I got a trainer, a job, and possibly a horse to ride! LOL It was a good day!

Oh, and Paris, my friend/trainer, told me she was going to hook up one of the driving horses and come pick me up with it one day! I can see it now. Cars lined up for days! LOL We have to go down a 2 lane road to get back and forth from my house.

So yah, as you can all tell, I am pretty excited about all of this!! LOL

Thanks for letting me share!

 

[wendyluvsminis]

What a wonderful day and great opportunities! I hope all of it goes very well for you and you have a great time! There is something soothing and mind-less in cleaning stalls--and poop never ends!

 

[MiLo Minis]

Well Merry Christmas to you! Congratulations!!! It is fun to hear you so excited, especially about shovelling poop

Only a real horseperson realizes how cathartic cleaning stalls can be.

On that note I hate to bring you down to earth even a little bit but it has been my experience that very few Minis deal well with an eggbutt broken snaffle. Minis on a whole tend to have a very shallow palate, a thicker tongue and fleshy lips (the eggbutt part is good (

) Although a thinner bit is often considered to be less kind to a horse, what is thin to a horse is thick for a Mini and you may find that the mouthpiece of the bit she is suggesting will be too thick for him to close his mouth around comfortably. The snaffle joint in the middle quite often causes Minis problems.

I hope all goes well and you are driving your horse very soon!

 

[targetsmom]

Congratulations on all your exciting opportunities. You never know how these things will turn out. I once thought "Wouldn't it be great if someone gave me a purebred Arab?" and I ended up with one, in a situation similar to yours. But even if you don't end up with a free horse, enjoy what you have now. Now, if you lived near me, I have an older horse that never gets ridden anymore.....

 

[hobbyhorse23]

That's great Kim, congrats! I have a 3.5" eggbutt snaffle which is not at all thick and quite nice for the minis. I just don't like to use it because the mouthpiece (a single-joint broken snaffle) isn't to my taste. Too bad- all my good mouthpieces have half-cheeks or butterfly cheekpieces and I'm not real thrilled with bitting my colt with all that when he's just starting out. I'd like to use the eggbutt while he gets used to having a bit in his mouth and then graduate to the driving bits when he's ready to start work.

Leia

 

[O So]

Well, so much for a good thing! LOL The guy that got hurt and wasn't supposed to be back till the 20th, miraculously got well and can return to work on Friday! So I will no longer be needed as a paid person. I am still going to go down there and volunteer my services so I can learn the ropes and will be able to work when needed!

I have some other good news though! I will start a thread in the appropriate area though! I will put a link to it here once I am done writing it!

To not take away from the driving forum, here is the link to my other good news.

Good News

 

[MajorClementine]

Well, so much for a good thing! LOL The guy that got hurt and wasn't supposed to be back till the 20th, miraculously got well and can return to work on Friday! So I will no longer be needed as a paid person. I am still going to go down there and volunteer my services so I can learn the ropes and will be able to work when needed!

There is a lot to be said for "getting your foot in the door" at a barn. You going down and hanging out (and helping out) even without pay will really shine a good light on you. Most barns (in my experience) are like little clubs. Sometimes it's hard to get in the club at first but once people get used to seeing you they pull you right in as part of their "barn family". I think you've got the start of a good thing there. And I'm sooo happy you've found someone to help you teach O So to drive!

On another note... wish you lived close to me. Boy do I have horses that need riding!