99.5 percent of the time I love what I do. I mean I really, truly love what I do and think multiple times a day how lucky I am to live on my farm and care for these beautiful horses. However there is that other 0.5% of the time. At those times I occasionally feel the need to reconsider my career choices. Those are the times that no one tells you about.
I got up extra early Wednesday morning (4am instead of my usual 5am at this time of year) to try and get some work done ahead of the rain. I put my headlamp on and away I go. The horses hate the headlamp at first but they quickly get used to it. For the first 45 minutes I stayed mostly dry. I had a few raindrops on me here and there but didn't even have my rain jacket on or any jacket at all. It was warm and pleasant, albeit quite windy.
The next 45 minutes I was getting wet, but it was ok. It was warm, it wasn't pouring rain, it was just raining a little bit. I've mentioned before but I'm not the type that wants to run around out in the rain with my arms outstretched, "soaking" up the experience (pun intended). But you get warned about this before you have a farm. Everyone tells you that you will work outside in all kinds of weather. I would have preferred dry over wet but it was still all good. I wasn't complaining.
Then the last 30 minutes of morning chores came along. The 30 minutes that no one tells you about. The 30 minutes that isn't specifically discussed when the "working in all weather conditions" topic comes up. It went from raining a little bit to the bottom literally fell out of the sky. It rained one inch in less than thirty minutes. I could barely see. My jeans were soaked through completely. The rain was pounding down so hard and so fast I had at least an inch of standing water in both of my Hunter rubber rain boots just like that. So for thirty minutes I sloshed along with standing water in my boots, in sopping wet clothes, hardly able to see.
Not only do conditions such as that not get specifically discussed when you are warned about working in all weather conditions, the other thing nobody tells you is that of course will be when you start discovering problems. You don't find these things when it is 75 and sunny. I could hardly see, but I could see enough to see the horse that had the weeping, runny eye that wasn't really open. I could also see the swollen hind leg on another horse. I began wishing it was raining so hard I really couldn't see these things since ignorance truly is bliss. I wanted to be done for awhile. I wanted to peel off my sopping wet clothes. I wanted to take a glorious shower. The last thing I wanted to do as I sloshed around in my sopping wet everything was deal with a banged eye and a swollen leg. But of course I did. Indeed, these are not the days people tell you about when they discuss the joys of farming and horses. But now you know, so you can't say no one ever told you.
For about 30 minutes yesterday dealing with rush hour traffic and office politics suddenly looked somewhat appealing. I had a moment of insanity when I wondered why I sold my recruiting company and gave up my corner office. Thankfully the moments when I wonder about these things are rare and fleeting. The rain moved out and was gone by early afternoon yesterday. We carried out the rest of the afternoon dry and wearing t-shirts. The grand total for yesterday's rainfall was a little shy of 3 inches (7.62cm). It will take a few days to dry out but it was 70 and sunny again this afternoon which was nice.
As I sit here reflecting on this theme of things no one ever told me, I realized that this is a topic I could write about for days. DAYS. I shall add more to the list of things no one ever told me in the future.
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a foggy view of the entrance to the farm this morning
Donovan playing in his temporary puddle
Gus, Asterik and Lotus
Silver and Lofty . . .
. . . a closer look at Silver
Mick with a napping B-Rad and Alex in the background
Timbit and Sparky were having a big time
Cino and Walden
Rocky had quiet the audience watching him nap - River, Rubrico and Clayton
a typical scene on the farm; Moe, Ritchie, Trigger, Apollo and Hemi
Gus and Roho were being frisky in the rain
"Oh hey, we're just standing here doing nothing. Really."
Toledo and Oskar (Donovan in the background)
Walon
Grand and Elfin
Cinnamon and Traveller
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2 comments:
I so relate to this post. Yesterday's two feedings in torrential rain followed by struggling with this morning's wheelbarrow chock full of sodden manure. (and all the sand clinging to it) Still beats living in the rat race hands down. :D
Val is not a fan of the headlamp either. Timbit is a hoot. Mini strategy: when all else fails, go for the knees.
I have written up a couple of essays under the category of "Why you should board your horse" rather than keep them yourselves. Totally understand this. Actually another point that you have discussed here before is "why there is an increase in vet requiring illness or injury on Friday afternoons?". Worse before a 3 day weekend. Why is that??
And I hope your cellphone was in a waterproof carrier. Or sealed plastic bag. I killed one doing chores in rain like you described. And that is a funny feeling. I wanted to protest "But I didn't drop it in a water bucket!! It's not like I submersed it in water!!". No points at the cellphone store for that. Keep laughing, it makes the task more fun.
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