Don't think, just be :)

This month there was a seemingly haunting task awaiting someone that is small and light ... and an adult. Guess what: it was me. 

What needed doing?

Well, there is a large water tank at 'Buttercup Farm'. We use the water to soak the hay nets and other matters although I never use it for drinking water.  So, the other day I noticed a stench come from near the tank. I couldn't quite figure out what it was until I saw a bucket with water. As I picked up the bucket, the stench grew rapidly stronger. 

As I inquired where the water had come from I was informed that it was from the tank. I had always wondered over the cleanliness of said tank as it wasn't covered and anything could fall in. This seems to have happened because when I turned the tap on, the stench was revolting. Upon climbing up to see inside the tank we all came to the conclusion that something dead must be floating in there.

First of all the tank had to be drained. However, the tap is a few inches above the tank bottom so there were a good 4 inches of water in there that needed to be emptied by hand. So, one Saturday, 'Helen' and I decided to attack this at first daunting task. We needed 2 ladders, one to climb up and one to climb inside the tank. Upon closer examination I discovered at least 2 bigger dead beings floating in there. It was hard to tell at first if it was rats of magpies. 

I wasn't sure how I would do with the stench but I treated it like my job: don't think, just do and do as good as you can. And so we began our job, a job that turned out to take us a good 4 hours in total! 

At first I lowered buckets on strings and pulled them back out until I felt it was OK to go and stand in this sauce of death and natural decay. 

All the while we made sure not to speak or have our mouths open. I didn't fancy swallowing any of this contaminated water. Interestingly enough, I wasn't at all bothered by what i was doing and in fact hardly noticed any smell. Probably because I was breathing through my mouth which was covered up by my thick scarf. 'Helen' and I used sign language to point out to each other which buckets contained dead matter and which didn't, just as a warning. 

There were 2 very big rats in there ... half decayed ... I guess they drowned in the tank in desperate search of water due to poison that had been put out some time ago as the cat failed to do her job!

At last we reached the stage where we could wash it clean ... and below you see the emptied and scrubbed clean tank bottom. 

Emptying the rotten water of the water tank: 

A task done best without thinking (about the matter at hand ... or anything!)

Another task which was of quite a large scale ... the repair of the nearby bridle path. Used by riders, walkers and cyclists alike. The loose stone was brought down by a dumper and then tediously spread with shovels and rakes by about 12 men / women from the surrounding area, either members of the riding club or other organisations that deal with public access paths. I cannot remember all the details.

There is another section of the path before this one above ... its a fairly steep, stoney and at the same time VERY muddy part of the path. After we finished with the fine stone (and many had already gone home), 'Lillian' I and another lady (who's name I just cannot remember) continued our work. 'Lillian' and I were shoveling all the heavy mud out of the path and placed it along the sides. A back breaking piece of work. Meanwhile the other 'nameless' lady was very busy with flattening the path ... with a vibrating ground compactor machine. (again, technical term has escaped).

'Lillian' and I were determined to finish the clearing of that top part. Meanwhile I was disciplining myself not to think ... about anything. Which is tricky when having a conversation! 

The next day I was quite surprised to realise that my back wasn't aching at all ... despite the tons of mud and stone we must have been moving by hand.

I have in the past week been out riding with 'Mr F' twice. In the old bareback pad still. Somehow I cannot bring myself to try out that new treeless saddle. I just don't fancy my legs' movement reduced by stirrups. Not having ridden for nearly 2 months made it feel all fresh and new and much more secure and balanced than before. Every time I have a long break in between riding I notice improvements upon picking it up. Old stuff that was tricky suddenly becomes easy. 

Nowadays all I do is to keep out of the horses' way while I ride, so that 'Mr F' can choose how to move his body. Especially when navigating over uneven ground or also when riding in the dark. 

I have said this before and I say this again: I implicitly trust 'Mr F' to look after us as much as he trusts me to do the same. We have no issues apart from the odd disagreement over which path to take. Sometimes he chooses, sometimes I do. It's all about balance. :)

As we often return almost in the dark, I have a led body vest that is also reflective. Meanwhile 'Mr F' has his own 'flashy' gear: hi-viz wraps for the legs and bridle, and led rings for the legs and an led body harness. We can be clearly seen by any member of the public when travelling in the dark, long before their headlamps reach us. I will try and take a snapshot of it next time.

On Saturday we went out with 'Lillian' and 'Luke' - who has this year behaved impeccably at all times. and is getting used to being a horse that works with humans and seems to begin to find it interesting rather than frightening.  

 View on our ride home - How could we spoil a view like this by thought ...