Thursday, November 23, 2006

The tack room.

The Tack Room

Just as my parlor is a favorite room for conversations and a stack of good reading material to conquer in a tranquil setting, so too is this "tack room" our daughter's new favorite room at the horse stables. She has her riding lesson each week, followed by her volunteer work, checking off a list as she works to gather those horses in need of their evening grooming sessions and tack removal if necessary.


Yesterday we met our horse lady next door formally, learning much during the short visit together, and of course, our younger daughter asked quietly and giving her girly grin, if she could see her barn. I was surprised at her bold request, but because of it, we were all given the royal tour of the barn interior, and I have to admit what a great CLEAN barn it was!

Our neighbor was an only child, growing up with a father who actively bred horses and enjoyed riding for pleasure. She too grew up riding, teaching and has now retired from that to become a horse show judge, traveling all around North America getting paid for her first love. As a travel agent also, and having her childhood spent in this area, she has much to share. Married with older children, she owns this childhood home, the same as the other four neighbors around our vicinity. No one seems to move far around here.


She also introduced her new horse to the girls, one she is training to ride some day, and told them if they saw her outside in the barn to come over any time. Already today, they were at the fence brushing the horses and waving to our neighbor, so in time I can see them assisting her with her barn chores too.