Friday, July 22, 2011

If I could turn back time

(Is Cher singing in your head now? Sorry about that)

Due to the heatwave I haven't done anything with the quarters. I hose them off, let them loose to graze, feed them dinner and call it a day. Nothing interesting to say there.

What is interesting is that the hot, humid weather affects my ankle much more than the cold. It aches, and when it aches I sometimes find myself wishing I could go back in time and not try to get on Gwen that day.

But maybe it happened for a reason.

If it weren't for my broken ankle I would not have noticed the BO's ever-increasing hostile attitude toward me my horses when I did, I would not have looked on Craigslist on the exact day that Mark advertised his pasture board, and my horses wouldn't be in the great place they are right now.

Even though that experience is not one that I'd like to live through again, I would not go back in time and erase it. I like where I am right now, I like where the horses are right now, and I wouldn't want to change it.

How about you? Are there any experiences that you initially thought you'd like to go back and change but finally decided you wouldn't?

6 comments:

  1. : ) I have one. I always regretted not purchasing the first horse I fell in love with, a beautiful OTTB that captured my heart. I had the means to buy and keep her, but because I was hoping to get into a post-graduate program, opted not to. And regretted it.

    Until last year when I met and fell in love with my MoonSox. Waiting on having a horse allowed me the financial freedom to purchase an acreage to someday keep my horse on, allowed me to get settled in life and never worry about not being able to care for my horse, AND in the end, Moon'er is my heart horse.

    He comes to me in the paddock the way the other horse never did, respects me so much more, and suits my personality to a T. He's my boy and I know that if I hadn't waited, I would have missed out on him...and the friendships that came along with it.

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  2. What a wonderful story! It is true that good things come to those who wait :)

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  3. I was just writing about one on Calamity's blog. I had an alpha mare with a striking problem that I agreed to sell once. My farrier loved her and wanted her and she loved him. At the time I felt like a failure because I didn't succeed with her, but later when I saw her still striking at her new owner--a professional cowboy who used her as a heeling horse--I had peace about it. I couldn't have handled the striking issue. I sometimes wonder if I could handle it today now that I have more experience...and I don't know the answer. Maybe not. Real aggressive striking like that is tough to deal with.

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  4. I wonder if your ankle hurts more because it might be a little swollen with the weather. It's hot here too 104 today with the humidity feels like 105. Everybody just got baths here and are in for the day and out at night.

    When you get to be my age there are so many things you wish you could call do over for it would be hard to know where to start.

    There was a thoroughbred mare we rescued a long time ago from the track and a bad situation. I fell in love with her and wanted to keep her, she was very sweet. Unfortunately, at the time we were boarding three horses and her and couldn't afford to keep it up so we had to find a home for her. She did go to a nice woman who only rode her on the trails at a park and I thought she had found her forever home. Apparently, this woman succeeded in becoming a better rider and gave her to a dealer to sell her a few years later. I didn't know about it until it was too late, I could have afforded her by then. So I regret having to give her up and then not knowing she was sold off like a piece of baggage to who knows where. If I could go back I'd find a way to have kept her. I do know that's not the answer to your question sort of the opposite answer because I would like to go back and change what happened.

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  5. This is such an interesting question. So many times I've been sad about something, only to have it work out for the better. Now I look for the opportunities in adversity. One big example is leaving my dream job a few years ago because of a difference in values with culture at the top. I was heart broken, but have built a life with our horses and my own business that I'm much happier in.
    Hope your heatwave breaks soon. It's hot here in NS, but we get cooler nights at least.

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  6. Linda- I hope she was happier despite the striking. I wonder if he ever figured out why she felt she had to do that.

    Story- ain't that the truth? Dreading your next visit to the barn because of the people there sort of takes away from the whole "I can't wait to see my horse!" feeling.

    GHM- That's so sad. We'd like to think that everyone thinks of horses the way we do, "as living creatures with their own thoughts and feelings," but some people just don't. It must be hard to be a horse.

    Hi Carol- Good for you leaving that job so you could be happy now :) I imagine that was also pretty scary as well as heartbreaking. I've currently got my eyes out for a new job. The people here are fine- it's just very ill-suited for me.

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