Taking Chances

{First off, let me start by saying that I know I haven't answered all of your questions yet, I am still working on the last batch.}


Many of you who read my sister's blog have heard about her opportunity to travel to a large Arabian horse show with the barn she works at.

I recently spent 3 hours hanging out at Paint Girl's barn.


I am very sensitive to spending time at her workplace. I don't want to be a distraction to her, or be in the way of anyone else working there. I always have checked with her first, asking about the activity for the day. If there are a lot of clients or potential buyers scheduled, I won't stop by.

This time, if possible, I wanted to stop by and watch some horse's being ridden. In the two brief times I've stopped in previously, I've just watched horses turned out and no trainers were riding. This particular day, my sister told me a trainer would be riding, it was going to be mellow, and that it was fine by him for me to stop by.

Of course, when I arrived (after my exciting felon-on-the-loose-farrier-adventure) things had changed and the barn was hopping. Someone had come by to try out a horse for sale. The halter trainer was there working with the halter babies. Speaking of the halter trainer, he kindly introduced himself to me and sang Paint Girl's praises, telling me he'd steal her away to his barn in a heart beat if he could.




I was asked to hold a halter. And then to hold a bridle. And then to hold a horse, because the new groom had accidentally put another horse in his stall and had to switch him out. If you stand around in a busy barn long enough, you get put to work.


Later, after the prospective buyer left, I was able to watch one of the head trainers at the barn work horses. Paint Girl had told him I wanted to watch English (saddle seat) horses. Some of them are working in full bridles (two bits) and some still in snaffles. I also watched a western pleasure horse work. Paint Girl came into the arena to watch, too.


What I really liked about this trainer is that because he sensed my interest, he took the time to talk to me and show us things. He explained what he was doing, and answered my questions. He didn't act like I was wasting his time. I could tell he was excited to share a bit of this Arabian world with me. I could tell it's his passion.



Paint Girl has talked about this trainer as being the kind who is willing to take an amateur or youth under his wing. To help them learn and grow. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for her. An opportunity that most horse crazy girls can only dream of. Who knows if Paint Girl will become an Arabian horse trainer down the line or not. Regardless, the experience she gains will benefit her greatly. She can apply it elsewhere, maybe starting her own training business, giving instructions to youth, or working with Mustangs.



This trainer even told me that once I got a few saddle seat lessons under my belt, to come back and he'd put me on a horse. Yikes! How many trainers from a big barn would say that to one of their groom's sisters? Not very many, I think.


And saddle seat lessons? What exactly did he mean by that?

Hmmm...... To be continued.