A couple of posts ago, I mentioned a situation with our farrier and another local client. Mostly in the interest of keeping the story brief, I relayed it in a way that could be misinterpreted - if you happened to know any of the parties involved, and if you are the only local person I have shared my blog info with.
Frankly, I had absolutely no idea that my blog was being read locally. How would I? In over two years, there has been not one comment on the blog, or conversation person to person, to that effect.
The folks who regularly read, who seem genuinely interested in Val's and my story, let me know with comments and by following - by sharing their stories with me... by interacting. When I venture to talk about dressage around here, about what I'm trying to do with my horse, eyes glaze over pretty quickly, and the subject gets changed. That's the main reason I began blogging in the first place. And that is why I have refrained from sharing my blog info locally.
I had several upsetting conversations regarding what I chose to post about the farrier visit. The main issues stemmed from semantics, and ignorance about what blogging actually encompasses. What really bugged me out was that anyone thinks they have the right to censor my words, on my personal blog. The best I can do is present things as I see them. I don't spend my time and energy gossiping, running people down, or talking behind their backs in my non virtual life, and that's not my style on the blog either.
A clarification about the day in question. There was no one to hold G's horse as she was out of town. (he needed two shoes plus trimming) She had offered to find someone several weeks earlier, but this brought up a recurring issue. Our farrier doesn't give exact appointment times. He never has that I know of. Too many variables with all of the travel he does to get here etc. G has requested an appointment time previously, so I presume she is well aware of the situation. What usually works for me is a heads up call that gives me time to get to the barn, if I'm not there. Sometimes W brings an assistant, but not always, and not this time. Hence, I offered to hold the horse, in the interest of making the farrier's life a little easier. Now - how boring (and unnecessary) was that paragraph?
Hence forth, I will write whatever I please - so read at your own risk. I will resort to the artifice of initials when referring to parties in question. I will tell the frenemy story as well. It will likely be a password protected post, so there will be no need to worry about judging, questioning or correcting my version of events. I've been meaning to tell this story since I began blogging. It was seminal in my decision to dive into horse ownership, and it changed my life.
Thank goodness that is off of my chest. Lots of positive horse business from the last very busy week. Tomorrow. :)
