I normally try to go to the barn so that I am there by myself. That way I have the whole ring to exercise Frank and don't have to work around other horses, especially when I am lunging him. I thought I had timed it right today, getting there a bit before 9am on a Saturday. However, another horse was being tacked up when I got there, so I grabbed Frank right away and took him into the ring for his "roll time". He is blanketed all Winter and I imagine he starts to feel like I do when I've been wearing a hat for too long. I just want to fling it off and scratch my head; feel free again! I started letting him loose in the ring before I work him and it has now become a routine that he loves. As soon as I unclip the lead line, he pulls away and sniffs around the ring until he finds the perfect place to roll, normally in the same depression every time - the "buffalo wallow" of the indoor ring. After pawing the ground several times, he lowers himself down in a half graceful, half painful looking drop and rocks back and forth on one side, getting those darn itches off! Then he raises himself back up and repeats the same routine on the opposite side. If he is feeling really itchy and finds a particularly good place, he will roll a third time. He then slowly walks over to me, checks in to say hi, and goes for a walk about for a couple more minutes. I then bribe/reward him for coming to me with a piece of carrot, clip on the lunge line, and we begin working.
So this morning, after our roll time, the other horse and riders joined us. (That horse is lucky to have two "Moms".) Towards the end of our session, one of the woman asked me what my goals were for Frank and myself. I was a little taken aback. I am not a goal person. Personally, I think they are slightly pointless, like resolutions. People sometimes put too much hype on the process of setting goals, more into the making and thinking about them instead of just getting something done. When I think of goal setting, I think of the forced beginning of the year requirement of an employee by a boss. Not my cup of tea. But back to the barn, I said that I don't have any goals for myself, just to keep Frank healthy and happy for as long as possible. I only started riding again because of him; because he needed somebody and I knew I could be that person. I am good at taking care of animals in need. A senior Corgi with epilepsy - I'll take him. A sixty pound Corgi shaped like an ottoman - I can trim her down. A 27 year old horse with gentleman manners who needs someone to love him - I can definitely do that. So on the way home when I was thinking about it again, I realized that my goal is companionship, for both Frank and I. I simply enjoy his company and I think he enjoys mine; the carrots and apples are just a perk. I don't want to compete, I don't want to jump a certain height or reach a certain level, I just want Frank to stay healthy and in shape. And so I guess I do have a goal. Before the little babe was born, I had a mantra that I recited and part of it was for her to be "happy and healthy". That is what I want for Frank too. Happy and healthy. That is this non-goal makers goal.
