Volunteering again

When I decided that I was going to buy a horse, I realized that I knew nothing about the beasts and I owed it to my future horse to do something about that.  The first thing I did was to start volunteering with a local chapter of a thoroughbred rescue.  That chapter no longer exists in this area, and I had left before it did due to a director change.

While there, I learned to put on a halter and lead a horse, pick feet (picking them up the racing TB way that confuses the hell out of Peanut), groom, started to observe equine interactions with others and myself, and turned vegetarian.  I still miss the horses that I met there, and wonder where they ended up.  I fear that my two favorites from when I left - one of whom I unsuccessfully tried to adopt - are no longer with us.

That was almost 7 years ago.

Yesterday I stopped talking the talk and started walking the walk: I did my first track visit with Mid-Atlantic CANTER.

It was my first foray into Delaware Park.  It is quite close and I work almost across the street from it, but I've never actually been there.  I went alone, but met two other volunteers there and stayed quiet and observed while they showed me the ropes.  There is a lot to learn, and the thought of eventually going around solo and talking to trainers and grooms is terrifying to my shy self, but it will be so good for me in the long run.  Plus, it's a different world inside of those stables.

Above all, it feels great to be doing something for the horses again.

Afterwards I went and saw the Nutters, but it had turned from sunny and warmish to cloudy with a cold wind, so I lost all motivation to do much with him in the soggy mess left from the rains last week.  I didn't get to see him today, as my lungs were not happy once Rick and I finished helping Anne-Marie with her move.