Expert Status

There are certain things that I have achieved expert status in. Some of these things are productive and helpful such as telling Jason how to run his life (he doesn’t even have to ask, I just offer!) or loading the dishwasher like I am the heavyweight champion of the world at Tetris. These are truly useful skills to have achieved expert status in, at least I think so. Jason might not agree with the first one.

The problem is I have achieved expert status in finding reasons not to do some things as well. I have been working my way through the spring taming of the manes. One of the few (only?) things I like about winter is that I give myself time off from mane maintenance for a little while. Manes always cause me to have an inner war with myself. On the one hand I cannot get ok with the long, flowing mane down to the knees look. I’ve tried really hard to like it but I just . . . don’t. I will never be able to own a Friesian or a Gypsy Vanner or any other majical breed as I will feel the need to butcher the mane. On the other hand I really dislike mane maintenance, really dislike it. I cannot recall a time in my life when I have ever enjoyed it. You can that there is a significant conflict in my likes and dislikes here.

As of a week ago today I had finished taming the manes in every pasture but one. And as of a week ago today I have not touched a single, solitary mane. For six weeks I have been tackling the massive spring mane taming one mane at a time. I am so close to finishing the spring mane taming yet I have come up with every reason imaginable not to tackle the seventh and final group of manes. It might rain, it is too windy, too cold, too hot, too whatever, pick your excuse. I can only hope that this time next week I will have finally mustered up the drive to finish – or at least start – the manes in the final pasture.

I should confess that some part of me is absolutely delighted that I already have a reason not to work on manes tomorrow. We will have a farrier on site for a few hours. I should have time to work on a couple of manes between morning chores and the arrival of said farrier . . . but I’m thinking I’ll find something else to do.

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Ritchie, Thomas and Levendi