For almost as long as I have been riding, (which is a long time now) Saturday has been considered in my mind as the VERY BEST DAY to be at the barn. This is entirely due to the number of Saturdays I spent out at my childhood barn, taking group lessons, cleaning tack, eating lunch, messing around in the barn and then many times, riding again after all the eating and playing was finished. Our horses and our trainers were saints. Our barn was a venerable institution where we could, in exchange for doing some chores, run amok all damn day long on Saturday.
As fledgling adult, Saturday continued to reign supreme as the King of Days. Whereas during the week you may find yourself having an enjoyable time in a quieter barn after all your other adult responsibilities had been taken care of for the day. Well, the weekend is a whole other game. Saturday late morning: a time when there is time. Quite often, more people. Barn people who generally it seems also regard Saturday as the Holy Day of riding.
Saturday seems to be the day peer pressure has it’s strongest hold. When the nervous rider who normally wouldn’t adventure out into the pasture is somehow magically cajoled to head out into the field for the first time maybe ever, or in a long time. They tag along with supportive friends and newer or less seen barn acquaintances. Lots of tack gets cleaned on the weekends. I associate, strongly the smell of leather cleaner with Saturday afternoons. Although I do clean my tack throughout the week, my Effax Leather cleaner and balm do smell the best on Saturday.
When we were in our very first year here at the barn Saturday remained THE BEST DAY. Adults, who contrary to popular belief and trending behavior, do need in person social gathering spaces would all gather out at the barn on Saturday, mid day to ride and of course regale one another with epic tales from Friday nights out…dates gone wrong, husband errors. In that first year we often had people to the house for lunches, because they and my family were helping us put wood finish on our brand new stalls. Non-equestrian friends would join in the non-fun fun and Saturday. Blessed Saturday was a day for laughter, riding, dreaming and getting things done.
Still now, coming close to 10 years in, Saturday is often one of our busiest days. We are by nature a quiet barn. We have long hours and serve a wide community of people with different occupations and work schedules. Riders often have the barn largely to themselves as people have different obligations. EXCEPT of course for Saturday. I work on the weekends, and often it takes me twice as long to do stalls simply because I am talking to someone, or watching. The conversation is lovely and fun and supportive. The barn is lively on Saturday with people and families and activity. By 5pm the horses are all tired from rides, baths and all the commotion from everyone being out.
Not but a few weeks ago I spent a very long Saturday at the barn. I had chores, then lessons and a barn tour/meeting with a potential new client who wanted to watch me teach and get a feel for our barn. Followed by the sad exit of a seasonal boarder. It turned out to accidentally be a perfect day for it. The weather was nice, my lesson was intensely successful and a whole bunch of incredible women showed up to ride and play with their horses within 30 minutes of each other.
Two such women came together, one a licensed adult driver and the other her charge, a young woman who is new to the country and her family has just the one car. It’s a logistical challenge sometimes for this young woman to ride, but not now that she has a wonderful barn friend who can pick her up and drop her off. Now she has a way to her happy place, and isn't that just so powerful. Oh the importance of good people. The impact these two have upon each other’s lives and how that ripples outside the barn.
Before long the potential client, who is herself a horsewoman, just new to Lincoln, was easily roped into the Saturday Magic of the barn. Women laughing, everyone talking. No one in particular minding the busy atmosphere. Being social, making connections, feeling heard, letting go of the stresses of school and work and family and being a barn rat. It was a beautiful thing. My heart felt light and my soul warmed overhearing the women sharing their stories. The power of kindness and sharing experiences. That our barn is both a safe place for horses and real conversations.
After they had left our winter boarder was rolling in to take her horse back home. So I helped her get loaded up. There was laughter and talk, as she was loading out the barn had become quiet again. Also by that time my husband and daughter wandered down to the barn to check on me, make sure I’d not been kidnapped or injured. It was later in the day as I waved good-bye to our temporary resident. Thinking that winter had gone too fast, noticing finally 9 hours later that my feet were starting to hurt and I was tired.
My daughter and I groomed her horse together, we fed the pony peppermints and walked back home with the dogs. I got home to take my shoes off and let out a nice relaxed breath. “After all this time” I commented to my husband “I still love spending an entire Saturday at the barn.” It’s true. I really do, even though, as always I have a million things to do and places I could be, I am 45 and some of my favorite days are those spent entirely at the barn, being the barn rat I am and have been for a very long time now.
As we as human beings become creatures who are farther and farther apart from one another. Distanced by technology. Afraid of the awkwardness created by own notions about other people and their particular thoughts on “me”. In a world where so many adults and teens feel lonely and isolated it’s an absolute honor to be a person creating a space for community. A place where acquaintances can become friends. New people and long time boarders mingle and can agree its a beautiful day to ride. Support is given and laughter rings through the rafters.
When I did finally sit down and look at my phone that Saturday the first thing that came up on the dreaded social media was the Facebook post that inspired this blog. A post from one of the women hanging out on that Saturday. She said “It was an A+ Day at the barn.” and I nodded. “Yes, my friend, indeed it was.” And I felt purpose and joy. The horses yes, we care for them. But I can never forget that we care for people too.