Headed home

It's been a long week--a good week, but a really good week. I've learned a lot, though a lot of it is still processing in my slightly over-loaded brain. There is so much opportunity to help all the clients and potential clients we talked to, to really make their facilities run better, and it is very exciting to be a part of this.

Even if there were no horses nearby. Or at least not near enough I could get to them before crashing onto the hotel bed--wherever it was--in exhaustion every night.

I did meet several horse people in my travels and Barbara (my co-worker and cohort on this adventure) took my picture next to an AQHA poster in a restaurant in San Clemente last night.

Katie texted me last night that Bar had lost a shoe. Not sure how that happened since it's been wonderful and dry the last two weeks, but there you have it.

All in all, it will be good to be home this weekend, breathe in dusty, warm horse, and detox just a little from all of this.

There will be a lot of work to do next week, the week after, and so on. Recharging the batteries will be an absolute necessity, and my horses are just the ticket.

Trail ride before hitting the road

We did manage to get a trail ride in yesterday before I embarked on my latest work adventure.

I won't say the horses were calm, quiet trail horses. Heck, if I said that you'd all wonder what horses we were riding!

No, they were both very bouncy and up. The blue tarp covering the pile of hay bales was fine one way, definitely not fine the other way. (Split horse brains, gotta love it.)

We went over bridges, maneuvered around dogs, pedestrians, strollers, etc., and had a wonderful ride--despite the bounciness and occasional Thoroughbred tantrum. Nothing in particular, just Bar wanting to try (or not try) something his way. Or be in front of Lena, or... well, maybe it's better not to guess.

And now I'm sitting in a hotel room in Arizona, waiting for the iron to heat up so I can de-wrinkle my supposedly wrinkle-free slacks. Yeah. And I have a bridge to sell you, too!

No horse sightings, yet, though I hear there is a team roping event the night we leave. Oh, well.

Living out of a suitcase

The last couple of years, business travel has not been a part of my life like it was the last year or so at my previous job. Back then, I got pretty good at living out of a suitcase, finding my way around strange cities, and making sure the rest of my job got done--all while the tradeshow booths and hotel rooms became my home away from home.

As it happens, I will be out on the road all week next week--starting in Arizona and ending up in LA before flying home late Friday evening.

When I was on the road so much in 2008, no matter what city I was in, I could usually find a horse neck to stick my nose into, a soft nose to stroke, or at very least a fellow horse-person to talk to. The bonus this trip appears to be that one of the stops is right across from the Los Alamitos race course. Will I get there? Not sure yet. Will I try given the least opportunity? Absolutely!

I meant to spend more time with Calabar this week before jetting off on Monday, but it didn't happen that way. I am hoping for a trail ride tomorrow so at least I can claim some relaxation and horse time before the mad rush commences, but we'll see. Someone will have to load nicely into the trailer for that to happen. Two someones, actually.

This trip is important, and should be interesting. I really do love my job and know I am making a difference--which is good and has not always been the case. I know my horse will be fine without me and Katie promises to get him out and work him (not ride him, though) while I'm gone. Maybe even give him a bath!

But it's still hard to be away. Or rather it's hard to think about being away. The reality is going to be different, especially as we go from client to client, figuring out the puzzle each one presents. (I like puzzles, you see. It's why I love Calabar.)

It will probably keep me busy enough to not miss my horses and my family (not necessarily in that order) too much. Probably.