Monday, May 31, 2010

Changes Can Be Good Sometimes

I hate change.  I really do.  I want things to stay the same (most of the time), but sometimes change is a good thing.

There was a surprise change of management at the local livery and it looks like it's going to be a good thing.  With last minute changes, things either go really well or they go right down the toilet.  Though typically an optimist, I've been through a bad change or two in the past, so I was pretty pessimistic about this very last minute change in management.  Probably the worst barn boss we had was one who threatened to beat the stuffing out of one of the female wranglers because she didn't agree with how he was handling the horses.  He's also the only barn boss I've ever told to go do something anatomically impossible with himself and walked off the job (the only job I've ever walked off of - ever).  So, you can see why I was a little concerned about this change.

Imagine my delight when I found out that the new barn boss is a wrangler I worked with ten years ago or so.  I was just a day rider at the time, filling in when they were over-booked and/or short staffed, so it's no surprise that Compass didn't remember me.  That's okay, 'cause I'm thrilled she's back.

The horses can be very sensitive to change and they've had the same barn boss for over five years, so I was pleasantly surprised to see how relaxed and happy they are with the change.  There are changes afoot at the livery, but they all seem positive.  Compass and her two full-time wranglers have been very patient getting to know the horses and are handling them calmly and consistently.  The horses are happy. 

Even Raja looks like a whole new horse - and she's super sensitive to how she's handled.  If she doesn't have a clear leader, she'll run right the hell over you.  I spent some time rubbing on her today and she practically fell asleep on the rail.

Why is this my business if I'm not working as a wrangler for them?  It's my business because we still share common space and I've known most of the horses on their string for years, so I have a vested interest in their well being.  And I wouldn't mind working again as a day rider when needed.

4 comments:

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

Sounds like good changes then. I hope it all works out there.

Thanks for your comment over at my blog.

Just wanted you to know that you don't need to be concerned, though.

Yes, I know that could be a problem in some groups of horses. But it wasn't an issue with our group today, as Apache and I were always trotting and cantering to catch up to the other trotting and cantering horses in our group.

We were all trotting and cantering.
Noone in our group were green riders and noone had spooky horses, and all of us have been riding together before, too.

~Lisa

Rachel said...

Umm... and because all your lovely High Country Rendezvous riders are gonna need some nice calm livery horses this summer too :)

p.s. the horses can always tell, can't they? :)

cheyenne jones said...

Sounds like a good change. Have been the recipient of bad changes, and like you, they are`nt nice. Two years ago, while renting a field next to the cottage, my 7 horses were happy. Then without any warning, the farm policy changed. I was to lose the field, and there would be no other available at all!

I had one week! In the event, I was offered a five acre patch, adjoining the field I was to lose, there was no fencing seperating the two areas. So I erected a strong electric fence. Over the following week, my horses were let out of the field three times! On each occassion the fence was pulled right out of the ground, and all the electric pulsers were removed.

Turns out, that the man to whom my old field had now been rented! was intent on getting it sooner, rather than waiting a week. Finally heres the good thing! One morning, a lady came to my house, and asked if I had lost my horses, I was to say the least, panicked! She said she was checking her sheep some 5 miles away, and found them on the main highway! All of the horses were safe, as she had rounded them up, put them in one of her fields, and she offered me a field on a permanent basis! So, I was lucky that change although traumatic, turned out for the best! We are still there now!

allhorsestuff said...

Oh..I do know what you mean on the "change formatting" I too like warning and heads up and if possible..I like to weigh in too. Um...can you say control freak..no, not really...as I do love positive changes and making choices for change!

My horse was put in a new field yesterday...one that keeps her view from the rest of her heard..namely, her lead mare. She was fit to be ties( I heard later)and my PBO still has not realized>>me and the mare are exactly the same<< We crave consistency and routines...as she mentioned to me like it was a fault of hers, "Your mare can't stand changes".

Glad yours is going to be okay and work out!
KK