A post from Hampton

My blog post

By Hampton Charles

My normally very awesome human sayz that because I keep growing out of my clothes and/or destroying them, that THIS is my punishment:

Can you believe she makes me wear this?

I looks like a hippie.

I don't even know who this Jerry guy is, or this Trey guy is that Human always speaks so highly of. But she sayz they would be proud if they saw me in this.

I fear she might makes me wear something called a "hemp necklace" next!

My girlfriend Lilly would never speak to me again.

I meanz, I'm already the tall, awkward kid.

A hippie now too?

Shame. 

Are you seriously going to make me walk back into the herd wearing this?!?

I am NOT leaving dis gate until you change my clothes!

... you wouldn't just leave me here ...

She did. She just left.

She was smiling and giggling at me.

Halp!

Bullet with butterfly wings

It's no secret to my readers that I struggle daily with my employment situation.

Well, I have interesting news today.

A potential new job is sitting on my horizon. It sounds promising. VERY promising. So promising, that I have already researched and found a fantastic barn to move Hampton to.

(Um, 2 indoors and a challenge course? And in my budget? Sign me up!)

It would be somewhat of a lateral move, but I talked to the editor and we really seemed to be on the same page as far as the industry. This company is a family-owned business, and very secure. They have not done any layoffs or furloughs. (I just got news of MORE furloughs today.)

It is located in the southern part of the state - about 2 hours from where I am now. It's quite close to the Hoosier Horse Park (woot!) and my drive to CAF would be about the same. Amy - it would be about the same distance from you. :)

(I say this because she threatened me within an inch of my life if I should ever move away). 

:)

I love how everything in my life revolves around horses. You can see where my priorities are. I haven't looked into apartments or houses or anything, but from what I hear the city is young and growing.

I would, unfortunately, have to choose a closer dressage instructor. This breaks my heart into a million pieces because I love my current instructor. I would also leave a few very special friends behind. A two-hour drive isn't bad ... except in gas it is.

My biggest fear is that they won't be able to pay me enough. I'm sorry but I am worth way more than I am being paid now and I refuse to take a pay cut unless there are pretty significant perks.

And, it would be the same job I am doing now. Like I said, it would be a lateral move (but with potential for advancement, an improvement over my current situation). Would I really be changing anything?

I take that back. My biggest fear is that nothing will really change. New city, new location, sure. But is this the right move? I don't know!!

SO:

Here's what else I have been considering:

• Nursing school.
I love the medical fields. As a daughter of a nurse, I often self-diagnose myself and my friends. I am not afraid of needles or blood (ok maybe a ton of blood), but vomit puts the fear of God into me. Seriously, I think I am an emetophobe. Not sure if that is something I can push through and be a nurse? Or if I will just have a breakdown at the first sound of someone gagging? Also, how in the hell will I ever be able to find the time to go to nursing school? And have a job to pay bills? And ride my horse? If I found a 2 year program, I would be willing to back off on the riding and shows (but still keep my horse!) ... because in the end the sacrifice would be worth it. Now to just find the time ...

• Photography
I need to seriously invest in the right equipment and some classes, but I really enjoy photography and with the right guidance I think I could make a business out of it. I have had numerous people push me in this direction. I also took a really extensive career test a few months ago. Which fields do you think it recommended for me? Nursing and/or photography.

• A master's degree
In journalism? No. Useless until I want to be a professor. And I don't. I've also thought about business, social work and education (I think I may enjoy being an adviser).

• Jumping back into the horse world
I'd love to be a barn manager or breeding manager. I don't have what it takes to be a trainer (I work too slowly for most clients), but I could do a wide variety of things. Lack of health insurance and benefits is the major drawback here, although some jobs do offer this.

• Food
Starting at the bottom of the food chain (bahahaha!) and working my way up to a manager and then owner. Once I reached the owner position, I know that money wouldn't be a problem. (I would have the option to take over a family-owned business) But it's those years I need to start at the bottom ... almost certainly the horse and truck would have to go. Not really an option. Oh and there's the fact that I have no f'ing clue how to run a restaurant.

This is some of what has been eating at my brain. Feels good to type it out.

The other option is to just do nothing and wait for a different opportunity.

Thanksgiving scare!

My Thanksgiving starting out a little more exciting than I had planned.

The BOs had left for the day to visit family so I was the only soul out at the farm. I'm glad I went to feed and check up on the horses because I found Lilly, my bestie's Walker mare, in the midst of a colic episode out in the field.

Lilly is always perky and miss sunshine. She poops rainbows.

When I walked out to get Hamps, she was lying down in one of the run in sheds. But she got right up. This is not unusual for her, as I frequently find her sleeping. I haltered Hamps and started leading him back toward the barn. When I turned around, Lilly was back down. Hmmm.

I walked over to her and she was lying weird against the side of the shed. She didn't even pick her head up when I walked up to her. This was alarming as she is normally annoyingly friendly and perky.

I had to cluck and wave my arms at her to get her to stand up. She didn't appear to be sweaty or breathing hard. I led Hampton into the barn to feed him. Again, I glance back at Lilly and she is still in the shed holding up one of her front legs. This is something she sometimes does off the farm. I think she does it out of anxiety of stress. I have NEVER seen her do this in the field at liberty.

I feed Hampton, come back out. She is down AGAIN. And is flat out on her side. I trudge out to get her and almost have to drag her in. She is normally one you have to "half halt" so that she walks at your speed. Her head is down and her ears to the side. She looks uncomfortable.

Time to call her owner, who is in the middle of Thanksgiving lunch.

I ask permission to give her a bit of banamine. I spend the next 15 minutes walking her around. She appears a little tight in her back end, but otherwise her vitals are normal and she isn't trying to lie back down.

Finally - poop!! I do a happy dance and report poop to the owner. It looks normal, and I keep walking Lilly. She accepts a treat and wants to eat grass. She started to perk back up pretty quickly.

I suspect a mild gas colic and after an hour or so I let her go back out in the field and watch to see what she does. She goes back to the herd and appears normal. Later in the evening her owner reports Lilly is her normal happy self.

Thanks for the Thanksgiving scare, Lilly!

In better news, Hampton and JJ enjoyed their Thanksgiving apples, sugar cubes and love.

Hampton nommin' while I nervously watch Lilly.

JJ was happy to see his Sugar Momma!!

Choices

Good grief that working student topic blew up didn't it?

But we have a saying in journalism: If you don't piss someone off, you aren't doing your job.

I love the fact that the topic has so many people talking. No matter their opinion, I really enjoyed reading them all - on here, and on Boyd's site and the Chronicle Forums. Also, Kelly wrote a nice related post at Dressage Pony.

I'm sorry if I sounded whiney or "poor me, I haz no monies!".

It comes down to choices. And a bit of luck. And good timing.

I was a working student/groom of sorts for a Morgan show barn for several summers through high school and college. I worked long, hard days. I did get paid ($200 a week), but I was in school and lived with my parents. (And also ate their food).

Then I made the choice to go to the University of Findlay for an equestrian education. I was sure I wanted to pursue horses as a career. I spent 2 years there.

After two years, I made another choice. To transfer to another school and get a "real" degree so that I had something to fall back on in case I got hurt with horses.

After graduating, I made the choice to accept a job at a newspaper. I chose journalism because I like it. I followed my heart and not my brain. I really had no clue how little the industry would offer me. I had ABSOLUTELY no clue the entire industry (and economy) would crash and burn 6 years later.

I made the choice to stick with a newspaper job because of the job security (until recently, anyway), health insurance, benefits and all that good stuff.

In 2009, I chose to sell my horse. Then I chose to buy another one.

The reason I am where I am is a direct result of the choices I have made. I should never have purchased my big truck. I should have never moved out of the original apartment I found when I moved here. Following Phish around in 2009 and racking up tremendous debt on my credit card was the most fun I think I have ever had. But not a wise thing to do. Those were bad financial choices. 


I am really great at being indecisive. And by not making a choice, I make a choice. This character flaw has influenced every single area of my life.

The situation I am in is a direct result of my own choices. No one made me a victim. It's up to me to make the changes. I'm trying!

Stepping back and looking at things, though. I really do live the dream. I do what I love every day (ride horses). I have an amazing horse that I adore. We are both healthy. I still have a job. I have a very different life than many of my friends (I don't have a hubs, kids or anyone to answer to), and that's ok. That's their choice and this is mine.

I still have many more choices to make.

"Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice."

"The history of free men is never really written by chance but by choice; their choice!"

A different league

It's probably clear that I have an unhealthy, stalker-like obsession innocent school girl crush on Boyd Martin.

Imagine my delight when he announced he is in need of a working student - in Aiken!

I could quit my job. Move to Aiken. Bring Hampton. Ride everyday! Stare at Boyd ... learn from Boyd and his crew. Work with great horses. Improve my riding. Get out of Indiana! Start a new life. Steal Boyd from his gorgeous wife. You get the drift.

BUT.

Cost of bringing Hampton would be $35 a day. So, only about $1,050 a month. *FACEDESK*

Oh but there is shared housing, at a cost.

Doesn't sound like the position is paid in any way except for education.

And with the long hours, how the hell is someone supposed to pay for life's expenses? There is no time for a part time job. And let's be real, my current FULL TIME job would barely cover Hampton's expenses alone.

Education is priceless to me, I get it. But there is still REAL LIFE to consider. What kind of person would really be able to accept this position? ... a student who has parents who will pay? Someone with a large trust fund? Even without a horse, how does one earn money to eat?

This is just my bitchfest at working student positions (some of them). They are impossible for me because while I'm willing to work my ass off, I have to be able to still buy a toothbrush every once in a while. You know?

It basically comes down to the fact that this sort of thing is just simply out of my league. *shrug*

Rant over.

'Push away those baby blues'

Thanks to frigid, gale-force winds earlier in the week, I am afraid we have not been very productive in the dressage department. I did ride, but I gave up after 20 minutes and our workouts consisted of just big, forward trot and round. It's difficult to be productive when all I could think about was my frozen face and how awesome a hot shower sounded.

CAF in september.

BUT! This weekend we did some jumping. I set up a single jump consisted of two barrels (on their side, thanks) and ground poles on either side. My goals were to apply leg to the jump, keep my shoulders back, maintain rhythm and turn with the outside aids. Hampton did his part and easily picked his way through the placing poles and over the barrels. I normally do not like to do much jumping without instruction, but I felt this was a pretty simple exercise that I couldn't screw up too badly. It was super fun and I was able to find a nice balance over the jump by actually closing my eyes and letting Hampton jump up to me. He was pulling me to the jump and I praised him for that. He just keeps getting better and better!

... which brings me to more news. Amy and I are once again scheming. This time, a lesson at CAF. I'm pretty amped about this. It's not until December but time flies. I'm hoping to work on grids since that is something that's impossible for me to do at home because we don't have enough jumps.

I have started to teach Hampton how to bow. I know, I know. I have never been a "trick" person but I think that Hampton really has the personality for it (and by personality, I mean that he is a whore for treats) and it will be a fun thing to do to keep his brain engaged in the winter months. Actually, in about 10 minutes of work he has already figured out to lower his head between his front feet while I pick up a leg. So I imagine he will have it down after a few more sessions. It's cute, and also I think it's a great stretching exercise - especially for the shoulders and neck. :)

... and here is some Blind Melon. It's been a Blind Melon day for me. (thus the blog title) So here you go. Enjoy the raw genius that is Shannon Hoon.

Another SDTDEDDA award!

This one will leave you speechless.
Today's Such a Dumbass They Don't Even Deserve a Darwin Award title goes to: