Simon died. He was in really rough shape when I caught him, and should have gone straight to the intensive care unit at the veterinary hospital. I just didn’t have the money for that and they couldn’t take him in pro bono or even at reduced rates, so I did the best that I could at home. I realize that I can’t save them all, and that I can’t short the mortgage payment to pay vet bills. Still, I am fighting the guilt.
We are in week two of Jake’s training. For the most part he is manageable on the ground, though there are still some “Who’s in charge?” moments. I’m going to start him on the lunge line today and I think I’ll start riding him towards the end of this week.
I have an opportunity to ride for pay at a local barn, but I have to pass a riding “audition”. There’s no telling what they’ll put me on. I had really hoped I could find a nice broke horse to work with for a few weeks before progressing on to the hooligans, but it just doesn’t seem to be working out that way.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the prudence of returning to what is essentially a high risk career. At first glance, horse training appears much more dangerous than computer programming. But when you look at it closer, a desk job has its own risks. All of this extra weight that I’m carrying around and most of my back pain is directly related to sitting at a desk typing for hours on end, day after day, year after year.
When working with a horse, I know the dangers and I know how to avoid them. Sometimes you can’t avoid it and you get hurt. But, barring a broken neck, most of the injuries I could sustain horseback riding can be healed and I could get on with my life. I’ve certainly had my share of nasty horse injuries already, and in the long term none of them have caused me lingering grief.
One thing I can guarantee is that I’ll be skinny and fit by next year if I continue to pursue a horse training career. That will reduce my risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and a host of other lifestyle diseases. Those types of illnesses aren’t always easy or even possible to cure, and directly affect quality of life for the rest of your life.
In the end, I think horse training is the healthier decision.
[...] the Killer Robot Clan blog I’ve been musing about the hidden dangers of sedentary jobs. My husband complains about the strong-arm approach of social media [...]
I understand your point.
Dad’s job is difficult (physical, weather and so on)
and it is not the highest paying…but it keeps him in much better strength and health than if he were sitting at a desk. It has insurance benefits and so on. It is close to home. They do a LOT of safety training.
Having said all that….an animal is unpredictable and the injuries can be massive.
Any other areas you could work with on the farm?
Love,
Mom