Barn drama

Working backwards.

Tonight I clicked on an ad for Ani, looking for someone to lease her horse. I emailed her, cuz Ani has been begging me for help finding another horse, since Mira died (and Moni became unavailable).

The lady wrote me back immediately, asking my experience around cold-bloods (draft horses). I had to reply, sadly, "So sorry, my friend found another horse this week, though she'd asked me to help her look."

I know this cold-blood (Noriker is the breed) - she'd send Mag into a flurry when we encountered her on trail.

She lives in the same barn as Momo.

And Momo is GONE.

*sigh*

Two weeks ago I told Seli I'm busy at the hospital but look forward to riding with her again.

She said she had to move Momo from Roelscheid (the big Haflinger barn close to my house).

Well, that is that.

No more Momo.

I'd been hoping so much to continue our relationship, and the trade we'd been doing, she'd jump on Mag, and I'd Tally-Ho on her dear Haflinger Momo up and down these hills.

She showed me a lot about Mag. He has no spook. Relatively speaking, for an Arab.

What will happen?

Mira has died, Momo is gone.

I was on the right path, and then it was yanked out from under our feet.

Ani leased the Haflinger Moni for only a few weeks, but at the party (below) they said they didn't approve of the way Ani rode her.

OK then.

***



"Ani, it's your barn, why don't you want to come to their party?"

***

Not even a real barn, but  there is some complex drama going on. (And why am *I* invited?)

It took me off guard today, because  I was invited to a BBQ at S2's barn. (Surprisingly, they know what 'BBQ' means.)

If you remember S2, you know I adore her and her amazing QH/Haflinger named Chili, the "chillest" horse I've met. S2 is a good horsewoman, I helped her at her Western show a while back and she won everything simply cuz her horse does what he's told, and is so laid back.

Her bf Andi is the closest thing to a cowboy I've met in Germany. He talks about how you can eat meat from this animal, and that animal, going for the shock effect. Germans are usually sensitive to that.

Andi owns Moni, the Hafliger Ani is (WAS) leasing lately, and he's the one who got her so forward. Andi likes his horses hot.

S2 still owns Chili but recently leased him for 10E per ride (ok then!)

Cuz she bought a real, authentic baby AMERICAN ROCKY  MOUNTAIN HORSE. A breed that doesn't really exist in Germany, and when I asked how much she paid (cuz asking that is OK in Germany), she replied, "8 thousand euros." To which she asked what Mag cost. "Half that."

The entire party, Chili and the Rocky Mountain horse colt stood next to the picnic table, in their open-stall. I admit, that colt is gorgeous. As narrow as you'd expect, and with "the hair." Black with red tipped mane and tail. She calls him Pepper. I admit, as he watched us through the stall bars all day, he looked exactly like what I'd expect - "forelegs coming out of one hole", long face, dropped rump, and tons of wavy blond hair on a black body. I'm sure he'll be a dream, gaited, to ride, cuz why else does one pay 8K EUROS for a baby horse.

As Andi grilled our food (including my chicken piece), we all sat around and talked horses, mostly, and it was nice. The two guys there who are not horsey talked to me about driving in different countries, another topic I enjoy. I felt really comfortable, even though I normally hate parties.

One lady was especially friendly, asking me about my past, and her 13 year old daughter was also polite. Her name was Gloria. I said, "Oh, like the U2 song?" Not only had no one heard of the song, and only one person had heard of the band U2.

I asked the kid if she has a horse. She said, "I did, but she died."

"Really, tell me about her."

"HER NAME WAS MIRA. She died, and no one told us."

Omgosh, really. Um.....I have no idea what actually happened. Ani was pissed at these co-owners for never paying, for never doing any care, no help at all with Mira's vet bills.....so I get why Ani did not bother to tell them when Mira died. It was her last act of disgust with these people, and I don't blame  her. Ani has no money. She's on social security. But they never helped, so....*sigh* I don't know enough to judge.

But here is how I can, slightly.

I told the girl and mother, "I rode out with Mira the last year and a half, every single week, and Mira was a great help to me and my horse. "

They just stared at me

"She was the role-model my horse needed, and I did too."

They said nothing.

Now she's dead. I was in Dortmund, I'd wanted to be there at the end."

They both stared at me silently.

Except to say, "We didn't know she was dying until she was dead."

OK then. I can take from this what I like - they owned Mira (half) and never knew that I was riding out with her every week the last 18 months regularly. They were not told of her dying. I cannot prove any other detail of Mira's care of lack of it, divided between the two owners, Gloria and Ani. I just know the reaction I got today, which kind of, sort of proves what Ani said, "They never took care of Mira, they just came around every 6 months to put Gloria on her back."

Sitting there today, across the table from Mira's other owner, I saw a lady who loves horses, but was definitely not connected to Mira. I wish I knew more, only what Ani told me, and the other owner just then told me. 

***

Then S1 showed up. You all know her!

She was visiting her chestnut Arabian who lives in the other half of that barn, and waved hi to me as she passed our picnic table by the barn. The other half of the barn is leased by S1 and Elke, who also rents half of the house there, and the other half is rented by, you guessed it, S2 and Andi. !!! More later on this half-house thing in Germany.

***

Elke rents the left side of the house, and rents out the left side of the barn. For her horse, and S1's Arabian, that's it. It's not a proper barn, but they've made it into an open covered area for the horses, with paddock adjacent. S1 has never been so happy, cuz her hot Arabian has calmed down, never being locked in a stall.

The other half of the house is rented by S2 and Andi, and, amazingly, the other half of that "barn" houses their 4 horses. The Haflinger Moni (Ani's lease), Moni's offspring (a gelding that just sold),  Chili (best horse ever) and Pepper, the American horse.

The part I don't get is that Ulrike also houses her 3 horses there, but apparently squeezes them in where she can, depending on the weather. (I'll have to ask later, but they are always "fringe" horses.)

Now you see the situation, physically, I hope.

Emotionally.....

As Andi sat with us, he complained about the "shack" they live in, in this "horse-UNFRIENDLY place"compared to his home in Saxony-Anhalt,  and said the only reason they are there is because the horses can be housed right there at their dwelling.

***

S2's friends are so nice. Really great people to talk to. 2 couples had babies today, needing nursing from time to time. All were very laid back, I felt I could talk to any of them, and they chose to speak to me, curious about America.

Andi and S2 are the closest thing to cowboys I've ever met in Germany. They ride their horses Western (and carriage) and HARD. And insist on manners like no one else. Their horses get the heck out of their way when they ask, or they get whacked. Next week they're going fox hunting on their horses - riding WESTERN. Hrm!

Everyone loved my American chocolate chip cookies (I'm famous in Cologne). And I was amazed, they even dug into my peanut butter cookies, though it's rare to find a German who eats PB.

***

S1 pulls her black BMW into the picnic area and asks if she can park there. S2 said, "Anywhere you like!"

She decided to park her BMW back down to the street, to not disturb the father and son soccer game going on (with mother and infant too).

Remember S1 is the friend who talked me into buying Mag.

She slipped by and said, hi to me. I'd left her a baggie of my chocolate chip cookies in her tack room.

And when I did that (and hour before)....

Mira's 2nd owner said to me, "You are allowed to go in to that half of the barn!"

I said, "I have a friend there, and I left her some cookies."

She seemed astonished. No one else went to that half of the tiny barn.

***

Now I get it, why Ani refused to come.

***

ULRIKE.

I have to tell you about Ulrike, though I know I have, she deserves more time here.

She is this hippy chick, rides a paint and an Icelandic, and she rides Western with Renegades all around, and as she showed up today after her ride, everyone gathered around her Icelandic to pet him while he rudely pushed her around and tried to eat everything in sight.

Ulrike is great. She invited me to that TTEAM clinic with Mara long ago.

She knows everyone and seems a friend to everyone.

She also keeps her horses in this half-barn, rented field situation. 

What a weird situation though.

Ulrike invited me to a TTEAM  clinic at the end of this month. I'd done one with her before (with Mara) but I know that Mag really needs the TTEAM with his unpredictable kicking out.

I told her how much I'd appreciate it, and that I'd be willing to miss the Aachen All Nations Cup (biggest Arabian show in Europe) for that.

***

Andi exclaimed, "Your horse kicks? Give him to me for HALF a day, he'll never kick again."

No kidding. I remembered when Ulrike said he'd whacked his Haflinger over the head with a metal bar....

I indulged him, "How exactly?"

"I'll tie him up and tempt him to kick with several other horses going past."

I said, "It's not predictable, it's not that simple."

Andi is a German cowboy. He'll whip Mag into shape in no time.

*cough* yah.

***

S2 though is a sweetheart with a cowgirl image as well, and her horses yield her space as she enters their area like no one else I've seen in Germany. Germans are mostly push-overs, well, I guess I cannot say that is a German thing.

***

It was a sweet party for me, with horse people and people curious about America, dragging me out of my shell.

When S1 arrived to ride her Arabian horse, at the other half of the barn, she said, hi to me and left before I could speak to her again.

Tonight I called her and said, "They told me Elke is moving out soon, cuz she's retiring."

"WHAT" she said, "Elke is not moving, why are they spreading rumors!"


***


Then came the TTEAM clinic, which you already know about.