The ultimate job interview...

So on Sunday I showed Zel to some people, on Monday I got a call @ 8:30 "our vet will be there @ 11:30, is that ok w/ u?" ummm sure. I get there @ 11, Zel's potential new owner is already there! With trailer! Vet shows up around 12... She passed w/ flying colours, was loaded onto the traier, and gone. I was a little stunned and very upset -- although it helped knowing she was going to an AMAZING home. To get over this, on Tues, I drive 9h to Vermont! Get there just as the sun is setting and am directed to "go down to the house"... ummmm ok :)

Was invited in by May and Denny and had a brief inteview where I mostly tried not to sound like a drugged idiot after such a long drive. I was also STARVING, having not realized the last town WAS the last town on the drive in! Then was shown where I'd be staying the night (a super cute guest cottage on their property) and left in the hands of other working students who I spent some time chatting w/ and getting the general concept.



Next morning I was to be at the barn by 7:30, where I followed along w/ the morning chores and pitched in where I could. Now you have to understand, this barn is IMMACULATE. I've never seen a facility as spotless as this one. I'm not sure I ever want to again ;-P Definitely does not have the lived-in feel to it. In fact if I hadn't seen so w/ my own eyes I don't think I'd've believed there were horses there! But so-be-it. There to learn different things, and that certainly qualifies.



Then the games begin -- the all important assessment lesson! Yikes. Get on a horse I don't know, beyond nervous, and start riding. Watching are Denny, May, the horse's owner, the barn-manager, and a couple random other people. No pressure eh? hahaha was semi-ok once Denny started teaching -- I can follow instructions, mostly :) Although def NOT able to read his mind as easily as I can Marg's -- never realized how useful that skill is till I discovered I don't have it anymore!!! (as in knowing WHICH of the "yellow" jumps he's talking about when the jump in question is actually RED -- and various other challenges :) I figure that'll get easier as I get to know him. Anyways, other than the crazy nerves and riding like a bit of a dork for the first while, I survived! Rule number one (For those not acquainted w/ the rules that'd be: "Keep horse between rider and groud") was obeyed at all times, and at the end the grand summary of my riding was "you're ok". hahaha and I was THRILLED. And hugely relieved!



Spent the rest of the day helping with the daily barn work -- the other workers were friendly and it seemed to be a very good environment. @ lunch-time went to see the place where I'm going to be living, which is gorgeous! And, thankfully, nowhere near as clean as the barn! hahaha only a true horse person will appreciate the rightousness of that :) In the evening went out for dinner with the other girls and was a fairly entertaining evening -- of course to get to anywhere "out" is a solid 40 min drive and into another state. But that's ok. :)

Then the next day, turned around and drove home again... At least the weather was perfect :)

Pics from the roadtrip: http://www.new.facebook.com/album.php?aid=158761&l=b600e&id=823765365