This is my new blog to continue my journey with my Dales Ponies. It will also be the story of my building a new life for myself, alone now, except for my friends, horses and dogs, since my partner died in March 2009. We had lived and worked together, mostly twenty four hours a day, for nearly 28 years and I have never lived alone before. It is a tribute to my wonderful friends that I am still here, still sane(ish) and ready to re-invent myself. I love them all more than words can ever say and can never thank them enough for all they have done and are still doing. It is also a tribute to Alexandra Kurland and 'The Click That Teaches' that I know how to save myself now. To new beginnings.......

Sunday 15 November 2009

Lovely Weekend.

I've had the loveliest weekend in spite of the awful weather on Saturday. The Chilli and Reflexology was a great success, Joy has remained perfectly happy and relaxed in the barn with my horses and her owner is absolutely delighted as it has always been her dream to see her happy to be inside in the winter, and I have spent most of the weekend with one of my farmer friends whose ability to stay upbeat and cheerful in the face of all adversity even exceeds my own.

I get really anxious these days if I can't keep people happy and smiling and he is a fantastic ally in this, as all he ever wants to do is to help people and make them happy with no thought for himself. He also has the wickedest sense of humour and it's impossible to stay serious for long when he's about. I love being around him and watching the natural, effortless ease with which he charms everyone he meets. It is my total privilege to know him and to be able to have him inspire me and to learn from him.

I have found a very small, light adult rider for Crystal and now have some purpose in trying to get her going properly. She starts off full of enthusiasm but then old habits and patterns start emerging and she begins to nap and get stubborn, which I intend to clicker train her out of. Her new rider is so tiny she rode her in the Inky Dinky saddle and loved it, and loved long striding, twinkle toed Crystal too!!

My decisions are slowly resolving themselves and I've decided to stick with the things that I enjoy the most and get most satisfaction from, and that's the things I have here. I don't really want to have to spend much time away from here, although drawing more people here with the dog agility, meat sales and clicker training will all be part of my plan, but I think the people I already have here plus my farmer friends are company enough on an everyday basis to keep loneliness at bay.

After Pascoe arrives on Tuesday I hope that I can begin to get life under control and start to do some proper work with my ponies again, including Kate who now follows me around without a leadrope and likes to stand with her head as close to mine as possible like Bella and Jack do. She reminds me so much of Bella and I just know she's going to be a superstar like her too.

I will take some photos of my newly rearranged horse barn and of Pascoe when I've picked him up on Tuesday. Everything is ready for him and I'm getting more excited at the prospect all the time, if a little apprehensive. The thought of me buying a bull, let alone looking after him single handed is just so mad compared to how my life used to be - but good mad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 comments:

  1. Wow, that Pascoe is one impressive animal!
    I would be a bit shaky handling him....

    Catching up on posts.
    You've been busy, Helen - but having a good time as it seems?
    How nice that Kate is coming along too.

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  2. Thank you very much HorseOfCourse. Yes, I have been very busy and I have been having a lot of fun too.

    The only trouble is that I do, against my better judgement, find myself opening that drawer occasionally now and I'd much rather not do, but I guess it has to be done sometime.

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