Did you ever listen to couples fighting?  Or for that matter, friends.
There are two sides to every story and somewhere, right down the middle, is the truth.

The Bible says to speak the truth in love.  It’s not always easy for the love part, and people don’t want to hear the truth if it doesn’t match their ideas of things either.

It’s not necessarily what you say, it’s how you say it.  And people only hear what they want to hear.  Ask any wife about their husbands hearing and understanding of what she just said.

The horse business is full of people who know everything there is to know about horses.  Maybe their horse, but does it apply to every horse.  Not all the time.

People do love to talk about their horses.  If you want to make friends with a horse person, just ask them about their horse.  It’s kind of like jump starting a car, once it starts it just keeps going.  Well it’s the same thing with  grandchildren.  The grandparents will pull up all kind of pictures of grandbabies and you smile and nod about how cute they are, all the while rolling your eyes because your on picture overload.  Now years ago Bobby had six children (still does), a horse, and me! and the only picture he carried in his wallet was of his horse.  That says it all.

Although my intentions were honorable, I may have created a monster.

There are very knowledgeable horse people who have been in the business for many years.  They are at the top of their game.  However don’t try to discuss any subject, that they perceive as you knowing what you are talking about.  They’re right, your wrong, end of discussion.  Now I have found that listening to what other people have to say can either be enlightening or you may be able to show them a different way of thinking or doing things, but it never hurts to listen.

I’ve seen these master gurus tell blacksmiths how their horses feet should be done.  I’ve seen them instruct vets on ailments and how to treat a situation.  Because they’ve been down the road before and “They Know.”  Usually they go through a lot of farriers and vets before they come upon a newbie who is willing to learn what they have to say.  Or just needs the job.

Well a friend asked if I knew about a barn for lease and I also knew another friend who had one for lease.  So, duh, I put them together.  Probably a big mistake.

If there is one thing I know for sure, anyone you let ride (or half lease) your horse will never ride it the way you do.  People who care for horses will never care for them the way you do, and people who lease will never do things the way you want them done.

Now you take that thought and match it with the two all-knowing horse people and you have world war three in the making.

Now they are both adults, “all-knowing” adults, so I just passed on phone numbers and backed out.  Didn’t think of the “all-knowing” thing until after the fact.  One is older and one is younger, that’s more fuel for the fire.  I sit here waiting for the other shoe to drop.  I can’t go back and say “maybe this is not a good idea.”  So let the games begin.

Some times you just have to do what my vet suggests – Just smile and nod.”