Style and Stable
Barn Glam
Barn Glam
I have a selection of cowboy boots ranging from fancy to falling apart. I spend many hours each day with my horses. That said, I usually wear britches and paddock boots or wrangler jeans and cowboy boots. But even when I’m off barn-duty, its fun to pair fun boots with a pretty dress.
Fun Fact? My Michael has JUST started riding. Despite that, over the past 20 years he has collected 15 pair of cowboy boots. Because, one can never own too many pairs of cowboy boots!
I first wore my Ariat cowboy boots in the show ring back in 2021 when we were still masked and social distancing. At the last minute, I decided to throw my hat in at a local schooling show, unprepared, not knowing the test, and not really caring. I just wanted to have fun with my friends.
I totally messed up.
In my (somewhat) previous life as a perfectionist, I would have been mortified. But guess what!? I had a blast, and joked about my test results. I came in second. Out of two. And my score was pathetic, With age comes wisdom, and the perspective, “why do I actually care?”
From then to now, these boots have walked lots of miles. I wear them to muck stalls, trudge through mud, and ride the cranberry bogs with my trail-riding friends. My boots feel as good as an old, comfy pair of slippers. And their age, miles, and cracks emit character.
When I first opened up the new box at the tack shop they looked, what I believed to be, perfect. But after having taken hundreds of thousands of steps these old boots have taken me on some nearly perfect adventures
I have heard that you can judge a person by how their shoes look. I guess I am doing OK.
These boots actually were NOT just made for walkin’
(Sorry, Nancy Sinatra)
Kickers
When life hands you horses, accept.
Thanks, life
G
E
O
R
G
E
“To look into the eye of a horse is to see a reflection of yourself that you might’ve forgotten. No grief was big enough not to be washed clean by your horse’s eye”.
-Gillian Mears
George’s Story
In 2021, I was hired to start up a riding program for the farm where I boarded Luke. This farm offered countless programs for people of all ages including summer camps, a preschool, goat yoga and much more.
The horses and the barn were one small part of this business. Beginning the program was a challenge in lots of ways, because we were still masked and still in the midst of Covid. And during Covid, horseback riding surged in popularity making it almost impossible to find horses and ponies for the program. .
I reached out to every connection I had in the horse world because in order to start a horseback riding lesson program you actually NEED horses.
Finally, I reached out to the person who sold Luke to me years prior. She generously offered one of her horses, George, to use in our program in exchange for his upkeep and expenses. He was dreamy and wonderful and we were lucky for her generosity.
.We all fell in love with this 15,3” Palomino Quarter Horse. He was wonderful with small children and adult students alike.
One evening I told My Michael that George was “the Ferrari of horses” and if his owner ever wanted him back, I would be devastated, as would Luke even moreso since they were best pals.
Ironically and horrifyingly, the NEXT DAY she called to say she needed to sell him and gave me the right of first refusal.
My Michael’s immediate response when I told him about my conversation with her was. “I guess we are buying another horse”.
I was not expecting that. At ALL.
I fretted about the decision because horses are expensive and require a LOT of work. Not only that but what if???? What if he got hurt? What if he could not be a lesson horse anymore? What if he colicked? What if the barn shut down? Where would my horses go?
With the encouragement from My Michael , and his reassuring words, we decided to purchase George.
Then, one year later, as new empty-nesters, we made the leap to re-locate from our sub-urban home to our summer home on Cape Cod. We found the most lovely, rustic barn minutes from our home. Together we do all the chores which is fun, dirty and great exercise.
Most mornings we muck, drink coffee and listen to cool music on my circa ‘90s boom box which lives in the hay shed.
Luke and George are living their best lives trail riding on the cranberry bogs, going to the beach for sunset rides, and munching on grass. PLUS, they have made lots of horse pals!
I guess that the lesson I learned in all of this is to trust the journey. All of us are on a path in our lives and it is a path of goodness and one which promises great outcomes if we let it. Instead of getting mired in the “what ifs?????” I continue to try to believe that life’s steps will lead us exactly where we want to be.
Hard but true.
Keep it Simple. Make it Lovely
Read More...
Read More...
Hello, Lovely!
DeliciousDishes
Lovely Living