I spent a couple of hours today working towards getting all of the blankets organized for the season. Notice I said "working towards" getting organized. As I was sorting through the first few piles of blankets re-labeling them with names and then distributing them to the appropriate location my mind started to wander. I don't mind handling clean horse blankets, but I loathe dragging around dirty horse blankets. I don't know why but I think horse blankets have some special membrane that attracts and retains dirt and grime, and all of that dirt and grime winds up on me.
As I continued on with my self conversation about dreading all of the dirty horse blankets in my future I had one of those "if money were no object" thoughts. I decided if money were no object I would hire someone whose only job was to carry around dirty horse blankets so I never had to do it again. I don't really mind putting the dirty blankets on the horse since I can kind of swing them on the horse while mostly avoiding contact. I really mind carrying an armload of dirty blankets out to the pasture as it is inevitable I wind up coated in whatever is on this blankets. One day, when I reach that point in my life where money is no object, I will post a help wanted ad for my very own carrier of dirty horse blankets.
I relayed my thoughts to Jason and asked him what he would have if money were no object. Originally he said he would have an unlimited gravel budget. Between our driveway, the barnyard areas, around the water troughs, by the hay feeders and around the gates in the pastures we have well over 50 loads of gravel spread around the farm (we aren't sure exactly how many because we finally stopped counting). We're about to add another five loads this week to replace some gravel in a few areas and we would really like to have about 15 more loads. The unlimited gravel budget was sounding nice.
Upon further reflection Jason said to forget the unlimited gravel budget and he would just pave everything. Pave the driveway, pave around the gates, pave around the water troughs, pave the barnyard areas, pave in the hay barns, pave where the hay feeders go in each pasture. There would be nothing on our farm but grass and concrete.
Surely I am not the only person that has these types of musings? If money were no object what would you have?
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Winston, Lotus and Faune
Traveller and Maisie
Walden and Fabrizzio
Lucky and O'Reilly
Stormy and Rampal
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Sam doing some post-meal licking
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7 comments:
Ah, if money were no object... *sigh*
I think unlimited gravel (and sand!) sounds wonderful. I need truckloads of both and am saving up for it now.
On the frivolous side, I would have a fancy truck and trailer, but hire someone to drive me all over the place, because I don't like driving very much.
If money were truely no object, and I had an aversion to dirty horse blankets (which I do) then I would just throw out the dirty ones, and put on a fresh clean one each time.
Same goes for dandy brushes, saddle pads, bridles and suede half chaps.
I do keep a trunk full of fresh, clean, barely used horse equipment just because it's so bright and smells nice. I'm always having to rummage through it looking for the stuff I actually do use...
If money were no object?....I`d have a wooden single story house built on a small hill surrounded by fields of horses. No track to the house, no gateway, every one would have to walk up the hill.By the time they got to the house, they would be so tired and out of breath, they could only sit and catch their breath! .....Eventually we would all be relaxed and feeling wonderful?
Everyone looks so content. I'd like my lady to build me a personal goat abode with a leaf dispenser.
1. Unlimited arena (sand + gravel) budget
2. Funds to travel from the far hinterlands for qualified dressage training... an unlimited clinic tour.
3. When Val and I tire of our jet setting, we lure a personal dressage trainer to the hinterlands :D
If $ were no object I'd be able to afford the GAD to have a 1 ton dually rig and a 4 horse slant load gooseneck with luxurious living quarters in which we'd travel all over north America riding and camping out.
If that kind of life could even be CALLED camping out...
you have struck upon the idea that horsekeeping germans had long ago - pave everything. they must have just had it with mud at some point. paving stones, parking grids, brick, this is the answer in winter paddocks, stall flooring, runs off stalls, around hay feeders, grooming areas, and aisleways. you've seen this in my photos of all the barns i've visited. i'm curious how these cultural differences come about, since so many of us descend from europe. or perhaps on the east coast barns, runs, and paddocks are paved and i just haven't seen it. concrete is certainly more permanent than gravelling every year.
if i had all the money in the world, i'd definitely be back in seattle.
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