Okay, so this weekend, my feelings about St. George shifted to ones of pure pleasure. They have a barn rule that you can't set foot on the premises until 10am on Saturdays and Sundays. I was nervous about that rule until Friday night when I realized that meant that I got to sleep in and then leisurely go out to the barn after my horses had had their breakfasts and been taken out to their pastures. I would arrive to a pristine absolutely clean barn filled with happy people. And indeed, both days that was the case!So, here's what I know. I went out to the barn on Friday evening and the owner's young daughter who is a high school track athlete and sweet and smart and kind praised my horses and told me funny stories about their new pasture pals. She wants to be a West Point student some day. She was strolling the aisles giving each horse a final yummy green wonderful-smelling flake of hay for their pre-bed, after-dinner snack. And the stalls were spotless. The place was so cozy.
Then on Saturday, a friend and I went to the stable and hung out for awhile. I met two ladies that I knew from BGSU and they are happy boarders. Every one I met was either a happy boarder or ecstatic lesson person. My horses are making all sorts of new friends and Violet is just eating it up with a spoon. And the change has been good for Renny because it is helping him take on new challenges -- like viewing areas, other horses working, a busy barn, etc. He likes his new pal, Ollie, and his girlfriends, Belle and Ellie. And I think that Stacy did a wonderful job of introducing him to his big boy herd of geldings. They all seem to have genuine affection for little Ren. Then my friend and I went to lunch at Smedlap's Smithy, antiqued, went to Amijo and Shelly's craft show, and just generally spent a lady's day relaxing. It was wonderful. And I followed up all those activities with the girls' first egg and an evening of shuffleboard and pool.
On Sunday, I slept in and then went out to the barn. I worked Renny who was a champ. And I rode Violet for the first time in the indoor arena -- which has absolutely fantastic soft footing. Violet was a good girl, if eager to look around at everything. And then I read my newspaper in the viewing area while watching the dressage lessons. The bathroom even has a fabulous framed photo of Secretariat signed by Ron Turcotte.
And among the many, many wonderful things that happened, the owner came up to me on Sunday and introduced me to her husband and children. She asked if my horses and I had passed a comfortable week and whether there was anything I needed changed. And she welcomed me to give her any suggestion at all -- they always had room to do better and got their best ideas from their boarders. Insanity. Just wonderful crazy organized bliss.
So, this morning, I woke up and realized that all was well with my horses. I didn't need to rush out to the barn before work to check their stalls, turn them out, give them medicine. It was all being handled. I really can't imagine a nicer place than St. George and I know that they are taking care of my horses better than I ever could. My horses are experiencing the very best routines and have lots of jovial capable people around them. So, when I go out to the barn, the only thing I have to do is enjoy my time with my creatures. Namaste.