I'm getting old

I know that I am getting old because:

First, I would make a mistake, and not learn from it.

Then, I would make a mistake, but make a note of the lesson and do my best not to do it again.

Now, I try to learn from others' mistakes. I do make plenty of new ones on my own, but I still try to avoid those that others have made, if they share them with me.

At this point, however, I am doing things like I am elderly. A few weeks ago, our neighbor offered to sell us his horse very cheap, because he was moving. Now, I had fed the horse in the past, and I had spent a little time with him. I knew he was a nice horse, and had a nice, easygoing disposition. Our neighbor is our feed guy, so I knew the horse was well cared-for, and as neighbors, we had discussed things in passing, so I knew that the horse had regular vet and hoof care. The horse wasn't trained, though, so that was a big negative, but he was offering it very cheaply to us because he said that he knew the horse would get excellent care and attention (that was a nice compliment, even without the discount).

Now, I have always been horse crazy. My father attests to this day that he has seen horse crazy, and I am miles beyond that, approaching on "horse psycho." I asked for horses for every holiday, every birthday, every christmas. Every wish I made on a star, when I blew out the birthday candles, when I pulled the wishbone-- ALL were that I could have a horse. We lived in town, so that was pretty much out of the question. I did have riding lessons, and I did other activities that would allow me to be around horses as often as possible, but I wanted my own.

It subsided a bit later in life-- or should I say that it was overshadowed. I am not quite sure it ever subsided. But now that I am out where I can have horse(s), I just need the money, and B's blessing, to buy them and they are mine. No logistics to stop me.

And we *have* horses, but they are not mine. Technically they are everything *but* mine-- M doesn't check up on them, I ride when the spirit moves me, we care for them as our own. But they are *NOT* mine. And it is a big difference, at least to me.

So, my heart jumped at the chance to own my own horse, when our neighbor offered him to us at such a low price.

For about five seconds...

Okay, seriously, it was a few days. But in the end, we logically decided that it would be better to put that money into a goat. Even though the price was rock bottom, that was the better part of a goat purchase, and if that is our farm's business focus right now, we need to move forward with that. So, with a smidge of reluctance, I told our neighbor no thank you.

Fast foward a month...

We are caring for our neighbor's horses while he moves. I think they will be here a few more weeks or so, but it should not be long-term (famous last words). Since this horse moved in, the horse that was almost mine, I have been SO GLAD that I did not agree to buy him! He is dumber than a box of rocks! In his defense, I think that it is a combination of my high expectations after working with a beautifully trained animal, and his lack of understanding of my high expectations. But it has not gone well. I was nearly trampled a couple of days ago, and this morning he just could not figure out that I wanted him to go into the paddock to eat. This has been the routine every morning, so it's not new.

But I guess when you're young, everything's new.

I am SOOO glad that I said no to buying him. I would be tearing my hair out right about now.