What Do You Do With Them While You're Gone?

Enjoying dinner together after a bath.  Of course Super B had already rolled.

I get this question a lot, and since, in case you didn't know, I’m gone right now, there isn’t a better time to revisit the subject.  What do I do with my girls when I’m gone for work?  I let them enjoy a well-deserved vacation.  I don’t let people ride them when I’m there, why would I do it when I’m not there?  There is absolutely no harm in letting them have some down time.  They are with one of my best friends, who is on the short list of people I trust to take care of them.  Her OCD *ahem* I mean, standard of care is the same as mine.  She’ll notice any little thing that’s off with them.  I trust her 110% with them.  She used to ponysit Klein ten years ago when we were in New Mexico together.  Klein loves her Auntie, and Super B does too.  

When Mt. Charleston was on fire earlier this summer.  It never got anywhere close.

So the girls are enjoying just running around doing whatever they want.  Eating cookies, relaxing under their fans, having conversations about horse things over the fence with my friend’s three geldings.  The Other Half visits them regularly as well.

I will be back in the fall when the perfect weather hits the desert.  The girls will be ready to go back to work, and here in a few weeks I’ll write their re-conditioning plans.  I don’t think it’s possible for Super B to ever get very far out of shape.  Klein will require some effort to get back in shape.  That is all part of the fun though.  Re-conditioning means long adventures out in the desert for trot/canter sets and hill work.  Hacks in our favorite new trail area too.  Then once they get back into a routine and get in shape I’ll go back to my jumping lessons with Super B to continue working on our goals for jumpers.  Klein mare and I have some dressage goals we need to finish.  

Part of what I enjoy so much is their training, watching them learn and feeling them get stronger and confident in certain things.  Klein mare is VERY well educated at this point in her training.  The bulk of my work will be getting her in better shape.  Super B is the opposite, while I highly doubt she’ll be what we’d consider out of shape, I would still NEVER ask her to go right back to the level of work she was at right before I left.  So, she will gradually be brought back into work as well but the bulk of my work with her will be continuing her education.  

Something I never worry about is either of them going feral.  They will not be lunged into the ground before I get on them, which is something I’m very highly against.  I will get right on both of them, expect them to behave, and they will.  I’m confident Klein and I could go to the moon and I’d still have the same Klein I have on Earth.  Super B, while she is much more um…excitable, she’s never straight up disrespectful.  

Of course this is all personal preference and knowing your horses, as well as your own abilities, and for me, having others ride them while I’m gone will just never be an option in my mind.  

Two happy unicorns checking in via video.