Home Again, Home Again

If you were out of the loop, let me share a secret with you... I'M HOME. I left Vermont Friday, August 8th around 4:30 P.M. and arrived back on Rocky Top Saturday around 8:00 P.M. Seriously, what a feeling it is to be home and be around everything that is familiar to me. However, I must admit that I cried when I left the farm. I got so used to waking up six days a week to horses staring at me waiting to feed them their hay and grain and relying on me to get their days started. I got so attached to those Friesians and I can already say it's going to be an adjustment not being around them 24/7. But with that being said, that just means changes are about to happen now that I am back home... Starting with getting riding lessons, finding stables I can work at, and possibly joining the equestrian team at UT! Since I've been home, I uploaded tons of photos on Facebook and so y'all should definitely check those out! Let me know which ones are your favorite, cause I certainly can't choose!

P.S. I Miss You

Okay where in the world have I been?! I haven't been anywhere except the farm technically, but I have not visited the blog in over two weeks! Basically, a whole lot of nothing and whole lot of everything has been going on. Most importantly, my parents and Memaw got to visit me this past Thursday through Sunday! I haven't been homesick or missing my family to extremes, but when they pulled into the driveway of the farm then I was overwhelmed with happiness! I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear when I saw my Tennessee tags and three familiar faces with matching expressions of joy. My family is such a solid part of my life that I can't imagine not being able to share experiences like these with them. I was happy they were able to actually experience in person my detailed conversations that I share over the phone instead of just attempting to visualize. The weather was perfect while they were here, we shopped, tried many a restaurants, drove around, went to a nursery, talked for hours, and shopped some more. (Can you tell I have missed shopping?)

Speaking of things that I miss...

My puppy dogs!

Sushi.

My own bedroom.

Living with people who actually clean up after themselves.

Air conditioning.

Polishing my nails.

Time with friends and family.

Going to the lake and pool.

Being in close proximity to town.

Dishwashers.

Reliable ovens and washing machines.

Proper sweet tea.

Genuine hospitality.

People who know what "Go Vols" and "Rocky Top" are.

Keep in mind this is a running list and are in no particular order!

And to whoever is reading this, I am sure I am missing you as well! XOXO :)

Southern Comfort Zone

So it's the wrap up of week five here! It's Father's Day and it feels as if Mother's Day was just yesterday and I was sitting at Chesapeake's with my family eating shrimp and pasta. I know that in life that nothing is accidental but happens for a reason. This internship has been one of those experiences that I needed to pursue, take advantage of, learn from it, and know that it is all part of my journey. I have come to the realization that I will be cutting my time here in Vermont short and instead of staying here for six months then I am coming home in August which totals to a three month stay instead. Many factors have led me to make this decision but those explanations will come at a later date! Some of my reasons include ensuring I graduate on time, making sure I keep scholarships, and possibly change up my major and minor. So many new things on the horizon and I have this internship to thank for it. Small post this week but definitely shared some big news. Knowing this, I will be back in the south in August!

Finally Some Foliage

Been away from home for a month now and apparently my sister Alissa still expects me to walk in the door any second and forgets I'm not going to anytime soon... I think in a weird way that makes me both happy and sad. Sad because I know that I miss everyone and home so much and wish I was walking into my house tomorrow, but happy because I know that I have people that miss my presence back  home and how they look forward to my arrival. (This probably sounds so dramatic considering I'm not going to be gone for that long in the end...) I love the show Little People, Big World and I follow Jeremy Roloff on Instagram and Twitter. A couple months back he said, "I like it because there is nothing like returning home. You can't return unless you leave, so you leave to miss, and you miss to come back." I knew as soon as I read it that I liked the quote, but now I can grasp it. No, I am not a jet setter or frequent traveler but the quote is spot on. It has easily become one of my favorite quotes while I've been away.

Now, the moment you've all been waiting for! I am no photographer, photo editor, photoshop extraordinaire, or artist of any sort. So with that being said, these upcoming photos are just simply ones I took at 8:30 one night to capture the basics of the farm. I already know they won't do this property and the horses justice, but it's worth a shot. Now I need y'all to close your eyes and prepare yourselves!
Here we go...

The lower barn.

The road leading out of the farm.

The road leading into the farm.

 (So... that was only three photos. I had some major problems uploading photos and this is where I was stopped. This is also why this post is a week late. I shall try again later, so my apologies. I guess this was only a teaser post...)

Side note: Whether or not the title of this blog makes sense will most likely depend on the person, but it works for me. I started to call it "Finally Some Photos" but then I started to realize how green and springy it looks around the farm and found the new title more appropriate. 

Whether the Weather

God gives us what we need, when we need it. One night I was just about to call my Mom and ask her to send me a bible verse every night through text/email to encourage me and cheer me up, and that night before I even brought it up to her then she sent me an email with a list of bible verses to read when I'm feeling certain emotions. Little things like that let me know that God is looking out for me while I'm here in Vermont and for that my heart is full. As week three wraps up, my day off started off rough and ended well. I wanted to Skype my family this morning but the WiFi wouldn't cooperate, but then I got to go hiking in Jamaica State Park and saw the prettiest waterfall. During the hike I most definitely got to process and think over everything that has happened while I've been here. I'm not going to lie and say that every day has been spectacular and wonderful, because they haven't. I have had terrible no-good days, and amazingly perfect days. To say that I've felt every emotion while I've been here is an understatement. I have days that everything goes really well and I make progress, and then there are days I feel like I can't do anything right. However, each day is a clean slate and I try to apply everything I've learned thus far. I really can't describe much else without some pictures, and so I plan to take some and post them once the rain clears up! Spring starts later here than in Tennessee; therefore, the rain continues and everything gets more green each day. I certainly miss the warmth of the South! The interns from Nevada, Texas, and then I are always the cold ones while everyone else wears short sleeves. Everything is so green here and that makes my heart happy! I look forward to the warmth that I hope July and August bring. Oh how the southern weather has spoiled me! Quick topic change, all my fellow grammar freaks are judging me for the bad transition, but I always see frogs when I do night barn! Something to look forward to when I have to wake up and work from 9:30-11:00 PM once a week. Also, once a week I have driving lessons and we always pass by the prettiest houses that I want to show y'all. Lots of windows, shutters, stone fences, manicured lawns, lanterns, carriage houses, and barns. So, remind me!

 

Things I need to take photos of and post:

• All of the Friesians
• Stallions
• Mares
• Geldings
• Fillies
• Colts
• Yearlings
• Newborns
• Surrogate horses
• Barns
• Property and acreage
• Surrounding homes
• My hike in Jamaica State Park
• Living quarters
• Downtown Townshend and Brattleboro

If there is anything y'all want to see photos of then comment or text! I want everyone to get the full effect and feel as if they are here with me. That's the goal, anyway!

Ever Get That Feeling?

Remember what it's like to start something new and you are learning all the basics and just wish you could bypass the basics and be good at it already? Well that's sort of how I feel right now. As I said earlier, I am the least experienced intern here in terms of horse handling, riding, training, and breeding. The past two weeks has been quite a bit of information to take in, remember, and perfect, but I am convinced I will get better and it will all become second nature. Yesterday, it hit me. I am the type of person that wants to perfect whatever it is I am starting new and want to be on the same level as everyone else. (patience is a virtue, right?) With that being said, the interns were practicing for drill team and I wanted to jump in and join. This wasn't the best idea... for one thing I am still learning to post while the horse is trotting so I jumped the gun before I was ready. I got frustrated and started to cry and while that isn't how I imagined it going, I am glad that I was reminded of these realizations...

 

1. Practice makes perfect.

2. Everyone starts a new skill from the beginning.

3. Good things take time.

4. Surround yourself with positive, encouraging, and supportive people.

5. Nothing worthwhile happens over night.

6. Practice good form.

 

Sure, I have heard those six sentences time and time again, but they are actually sinking in these days and taking root. I don't want to rush this internship away, but I am certainly excited to see how much I've grown and learned at the conclusion of my stay in Vermont. I always have mini goals set for myself and my time here at the farm is no different. I strongly believe in always working towards becoming the best possible version of yourself.  

 

Happy Memorial Day, y'all!

 

85 Horses and Counting

So it's been two weeks since I got here and yesterday was my second day off. I can already tell you that I've learned more in two weeks than I assumed I would learn in the 6 months I planned to be here. The internships/apprenticeships are all similar except you get to choose which aspects of the facility you want to focus on, and in my case then I chose to learn everything this place has to offer. For those of you who still don't know where I'm at then I am working on a Friesian breeding and training farm named Friesians of Majesty. In a single day it is most likely given I get to participate and help with semen collection, artificial insemination, embryo flushes and transfers, and ultrasounds. In terms of the chores we rotate who feeds and cleans upper barn, lower barn, frontline, and backline. These chores consist of cleaning stalls, feeding hay, feeding grain, cleaning and filling water buckets and tubs, emptying trash, and sweeping. Handling the horses has been ranging from lunging, grooming, bathing, medicating scratches, riding lessons, drill practice, driving lessons, harness lessons, and handling lessons. Other things that occur but not as often include foaling, night barn, putting up hay, worm medications, and sidework chores. Also, from May until October is their show season so we will host shows throughout those 6 months then buses of people will visit and enjoy the farm and watch a 2 hour performance. There is approximately 87 horses are the farm currently and that means something is always needing to be done and so I stay very busy! I am still getting comfortable with my routine and beginning to be more confident, but I still always have to ask for advice and tips and I imagine I will be the entire time I am here. Always making progress and gaining knowledge are my goals, though. That is a quick and not very detailed outline of what my days look like, and I hope to get into specifics as the weeks go by! In terms of contacting me then my phone works but I can only text or call around lunch and dinner. I did make a Skype account and y'all should definitely try to Skype me on Fridays when I visit the town next to me. Hopefully the farm gets better internet service soon (fingers crossed)! My Skype username is Lauren.Ownby for anyone that is curious. I love it when I come in from work and get a text, snapchat, or email from someone so keep them coming!

 

*Side note, I apparently have a southern accent and I didn't realize it was noticeable. Also, I have been told I don't hide my emotions or facial expressions well. Lastly, I was informed I am the girliest one here. Not sure what to think of these descriptions of me so far, I hope these are all good things... What do y'all think? Ha.