May 8, 9, 10, 11

Kirksville, Missouri
Alice and I loaded her two horses into her horse trailer and drove up to Kirksville, Missouri where she is a working student for Melissa, who is a premier horse trainer. Melissa is teaching Alice and her horses how to jump and ride better. Melissa is amazingly knowledgeable.

I helped with cleaning stalls, cleaning horse's hooves, moving corral panels, raising and lowering jump poles, and moving and feeding and watering horses. I also watched the training of a "green" horse (a horse not fully broken), watched training of a very young stud colt who is still with his mother, watched several of Alice's jumping lessons, and watched when Melissa tried to show us a lameness in a horse. It was very subtle, and was difficult to see.

I learned some interesting things from Melissa . . . such as petting a horse with an open hand (instead of scratching with tips of fingers), because an open hand is much more relaxing. She also told me that horses sometimes eat meat . . . and some horses have been known to run down rabbits and eat them! And they are considered herbivores!

When I cleaned Alice's horse, Luc's (pronounced Luke), feet, he stepped on my foot! I'm hoping it's just a bruise and that my toe isn't broken!

These four days were absolutely magnificent for me! So . . . after cleaning stalls and all . . . would I rather keep doing that or sit behind a computer all day . . . ? I'd choose cleaning stalls any day! Surprised? You shouldn't be if you know me!!

Alice and I stayed in the living quarters of her horse trailer. It had all the comforts of home . . . bed, microwave, refrigerator, toaster oven, sink, and shower. In fact . . . it had everything but a toilet. But that was okay. Just choose a stall . . . and clean up after yourself. Although, sometimes it was a bit weird having an equine audience!