On Leaving New Ground Farms

While I have taken the horses I'm not completely moved out tomorrow and we get Cat's horses and the tack trailer gone. I have decided not to teach anymore b/c of my concerns about liability. I found out a few months ago that the barn didn't carry any liability insurance on the customer's horses or the students. I continued to teach after that b/c I figured I was somewhat protected by the fact that Jackie was paying me as her employee or independent contractor. But, when I decided to move, she wanted the students to pay me I started worrying that it would look like I was using her facilities but I wasn't an employee of the farm. Jackie also said she wanted to sell her school horses and since I was moving my horses I felt like it would be tricky to use the horses that were left at the barn. Since Aruna was teaching too, it would be tricky to coordinate.

This whole business with me wanting to move started when I asked Jackie for a stall for my horse and she wouldn't give me a stall. She told me I could have the next one at least 4 times before telling me that she wasn't going to give me a stall because I only wanted it for about 3 months. I had originally thought i would like to have Deli in a stall for foaling and then have her go back out. After she told me this, I got pretty steamed b/c it shouldn't matter how long I want the stall as long as I give her plenty of notice. I even agreed to wait until she had a boarder for my stall before I moved out. Even then she wouldn't give me a stall. So, I told her that I would take it indefinitely just like any other boarder. I even told her how upset I was b/c I thought we were friends first...not to mention I'm a customer who has been there almost 2 years and always paid my board on time. She then said I'd get the very next stall. Of course, it wasn't true. when the next stall came open, she told me that she'd rented it to someone named Deanne and she'd left a deposit on the stall. Then 2 more stalls came open and she gave them to some friend's of Gayla's, one of which stayed empty for a month or two while they actually looked for another horse. One night I came into the barn and saw a boarder who bought a horse from another boarder recently, in the stall that was supposedly rented to "Deanne". The next week she then told me that "Deanne" never showed up...I'm thinking, there is NO DEANNE. I was steamed! I didn't talk to her about it b/c she knew how I felt. I then realized that I wouldn't have a stall in the barn for my foal and I began to doubt that I could count on anything else I'd been promised either. She had promised to build stalls in the hay barn, which are at this time only half done. She told me in Jan. she'd build those stalls for me to have a stall...even though I told her then I wanted a stall in the barn. I don't get why I couldn't have a stall and what was the big idea!

About the same time I had asked for Deli to be fed outside the fence. Instead, I noticed that they moved the feeder for her back inside the fence which means that all this time, my pregnant mare has not been getting her whole ration of grain b/c they boys have been stealing it. I asked the stable hand to feed her outside the fence, and he said no problem...but then the feeder was back in the field, which meant that someone else told him not to feed her outside the fence (and she and I have gone through this before) .

Freeley colicked a few weeks ago and she was no where around. She was gone the whole day and it was the stable hand who found my horse ill. I don't think that Jackie should be there all the time, she needs to have a life too, but she should be there some... And the there are the kids and the four wheelers speeding around the place and then around the pasture later.

Then, last week, while I was gone to Missouri, taking Joe Bear, all my senior feed disappeared. I bought 2 bags right before going out of town and there was already some in the bin at that point. I had filled the bin before leaving and poof, over $30 of grain just vanished. And when I called to discuss it with her she didn't reply. She talked to Cat and said she'd look into it, but never discussed it with me.

I found out from other boarders that she is now making the people doing partial care buy their own shavings. It's in the contract that she provides the shavings, so she's broken her contract (this reminds me of what happened at the barn where I boarded back in IN) She's never there and there is no talking to her. I want so badly to talk to her about all these things, but she is never available anymore. I thought we were friends, but now I just feel like I was used. I also found out yesterday that she told a boarder who has since moved that Cat bought her hay (the boarder discovered that he hay had disappeared) Cat didn't know anything about it, so yet another story. Jackie told me that the same boarder took her hay with her (or at least that's what I remember) and yet another boarder told me she was supposed to buy it but it had mysteriously disappeared.

This has all occurred during the time that she has been getting divorced. Slowly she has turned from someone I thought was my friend into someone I don't know and who doesn't even reply to me. I want to tell her everything I have posted here, but I don't' think she'll care. I have written the emails and had the conversations in my head and just don't know what to say to her. "oh BTW, your business is going to hell b/c you're never here and no one ever sees you taking care of business and you broke a million promises and it seems you're a liar to boot"? I kind of hope she might read my blog to know how everyone feels, but I kind of suspect her response will be to say "screw them all". She's begun to sell off her horses and when Cat and I asked her what was going on we didn't get much in the way of response. She said she wants to simplify her life...but she's selling a horse she adores and I don't get it. She told me that we just didn't have any idea what it cost to run a barn, which isn't true at all since Maggie's dad ran a barn and I have a pretty good idea of what it entailed. I have even heard that her stable hand is looking for different work b/c he thinks the barn won't be there much longer and doesn't want to be caught without a job.

I feel bad for her b/c I think she's making a lot of really bad choices, but I can't get her attention or get her to care it seems. I think I just feel so let down. It was such a great place to board and I loved the barn and the people I thought I had found a home.

An addendum...I did tell her some of this. I told her that I never got over the stall thing and that I didn't appreciate her not offering to rectify the situation with the feed. I told her that I missed my friend Jackie and that I wanted to discuss all this stuff with her but didn't feel like she'd listen...so there it is. I laid it out. I hope that I didn't get the bridges burned all the way through, but I tried to call it as it seemed to me.

Horses doing fine

This morning we went to church with Alexa and enjoyed it very much. The gospel reading and the sermon was based on John 14. That was one of the first passages I ever learned as a youngster and I remember most of it still to this day.

We helped Alexa take her car to the shop and then hijacked her to go to the field and see our horses. She's not a horse person, so we didn't stay long. I fed everyone, only the mare doesn't want to eat much. She is eating grass and seems like she feels ok, but Deli isn't eating any grain at all. She may not be hungry b/c there is hay and some grass. It won't last long...the field is a lot wetter underneath than it looked with all the vegetation on top. some of the wet places that we found initially have dried up already which is good. Tomorrow I'm going to try to move my horse trailer to the place I really wanted to park it if it's dryer. Cat is bringing her trailer and horses tomorrow too so we have to figure out how everything will be parked and lined up. I already decided that I don't like where I parked b/c if it's wet, it will make it harder to get out...but that said, I'm not sure I should try to move it just yet. I can see that I'm going to be making trips to the gravel yard to get gravel for the area. It's going to be hot/hard work with my truck and a scoop shovel, but eventually it won't be quite so wet. I thought I'd have someone to bring me rock, but they aren't responding to my calls. I told Maggie we may be going to the gravel yard to bring the stuff in if we want to get out for the supreme trail challenge next Sat.! Already the field is a bit dryer, but after getting so stuck yesterday, I'm nervous to drive in there much.

To Missouri and Back quickly

I didn't realize that I hadnt' blogged since April 10. I have been so incredibly busy that time just got away from me.

After the hail storms the other night, we have to have a new roof. The adjustor has been out and we already have "our guy" on it. He was supposed to start working on it this weekend but he couldn't get his materials until Monday afternoon b/c everyone needs new roofs evidently. we had another storm on Thursday this past week and we had some leaking again, but Gilbert had done a great job of patching up the important leak above my bed.


Last weekend we took Joe Bear to Missouri to live with our friends Jan and Stan Elmore. My parents were friends with the Elmores in college and their son Drew is about 9 days younger than me. Joe Bear is for his kids and his younger sister's kids. So, Joe has 4 grand kids to mentor in his golden years. Poor Joe didn't like their donkey much, but he's adapting. He has kids to pay attention to him and Jan has been giving him lots of attention too.

Today we moved the horses to their new field. It's a nice field. Unfortunately, I got stuck in the mud while I was driving through the field to put my hay away and ended up having to have Cat's boyfriend, Troy, haul me out. I was really grateful for his help. Unfortunately again, he got stuck and discovered that his four wheel drive had not been rehooked up when he has transmission replaced a few weeks ago and he got stuck too. So he had to have a tow truck wench him out. It took two hours to get that done.

The horses really liked their new field. They ran around and ate, and wouldn't let us catch them for the longest time. Surprisingly, Freeley let us catch him first. We carried some grain and he came into the area with the water trough so that I could show him where to drink. He had his dinner and then wandered back out to the field with Liberty. I kept Deli up so she could get used to her own area. She was peeing a lot and I worried that she might leave me an unexpected prezzie.

Then we got home and Peter and Maggie played a game they like called sam and max and I have been answering emails and sporadically blogging through the night.

We are going to church with alexa tomorrow so I will be going to bed in a minute. I'm really tired.

Bad storms and hail

We had another night of bad storms here last night. Since it was Wednesday night and I had to be in Springtown early today, I went to bed early, only to be awakened at 1am, 3am, and then permanently about 4am when it began to rain inside our house, specifically over my bed and dripping on my face. Fortunately, upon inspection, the damage looks minor but since we just had that part of the roof retarred last year I am urging Peter to call the roofer back to repair the damage.

Maggie and I are still on to begin our drive to Missouri this evening. We are going to drive to Denison and overnight with a nice Natrc'r named Gina, who will put up Joe Bear for the night and let us sleep in her lq trailer overnight. It will get us out of the city and a little further down the road, plus we won't have fight early morning traffic going across town. All our clothes are packed and since the weather is tricky we had to pack extra.

So far Maggie is taking the loss of Joe Bear well. She knows he'll have an easier life and she's really too big for him. She can still ride him when she's the grandparents and maybe, with Joe in Columbia, my niece and nephews can give the pony thing a try. I know Jan will let them see him if they want to. (as an aside, i still fantasize about getting my niece and nephews to TX some summer to ride. I want to be the fun Aunt)

maggie had one last ride on Joe Sunday and it was fn at the barn but not on the trail. As soon as he knew he was headed home he was a poophead and jigged all the way home. She's not going to miss that about him and he's not likely to have to travel much...both of which should make him happy.

Bad weather and anxiety

I have been feeling really stressed and anxious the last 24 hours. We have been having bad weather and the hail woke me up last night...ever since I just have a tightness around my heart. I know that I'm experiencing anxiety, but I don't understand why I can't shake it. I have no conscious reason to be stressed, but I feel so stressed I can't concentrate and I feel like I could jump out of my skin. I wonder if it's hormone related...and if it is, I'll feel better soon. I just feel so crummy today. I'm finding that I really wish my doctor had taken me seriously about the prozac thing...I think I am the only woman alive whose doctor blew her off this way.

Busy week already

Today I went to the little field (it's going to have to have a name soon though) and laid out t posts for the corners. Cat says she's going to drive them this weekend so that we can move in next week. I'm so ready to be out there! I will have to find a good source for round bales...hopefully I can get them delivered! It will be so great having the ponies right there where I can see them all the time. I have missed having them at Trinity which was just around the corner, so this isn't as much space, but it will be close.

Joe Bear goes to Missouri this weekend. I'm relieved to have one less equine, but sad that this part of our life is coming to an end. Maggie had one last ride on him Sunday and he was a schmuck...Makes her really appreciate Deli and Freeley. Abby rode him for the last time last night. She will miss him too. Jackie is selling her school horses, so I don't know what the future will hold with me teaching. I'm kind of hoping to retire. I worry about liability alot.

Rash of Car Trouble

I had my truck tuned up a couple months ago and it's been nothing but trouble ever since. I don't drive it every day so it's not something that I noticed right off. I drove it on one hauling trip and then a couple more times and it's misfiring and just running really rough. I have a great mechanic, so I know they'll find whatever is wrong and fix it, but it's so inconvenient. It started running badly over the weekend last week so I took it in first thing and I thoguht it was fixed. While on the way to have my car inspected, it's check engine light came on so I had to take it in too. I changed all the stuff over to my truck, planning to take it to Springtown today for my music therapy groups...only now the truck did the same exact thing and I had to take it back to the shop again. Sigh...The flip side is that it's stormy out...I figured God just was trying to tell me I was supposed to be home today. I'm on a prednisone pack for my raspy voice and asthma and I don't like how I feel when I start those, so it's just as well I guess that today isn't a crazy day. I'm going to right some assessments, do my paperwork and then take a nap I guess.