Totally Suckered

I swore up and down that I wouldn't go to the track in Albuquerque again. Then again, I swore that two years ago. It's a shit hole. There are giant cest pools in the barn area. It's loud and stinks. There are pigeons everywhere that crap on you. I'm pretty sure that the nasty little buggers take aim and fire too. That's just at the track. The area around the track is full of vagrants, drunks, meth/crackheads, hookers, and things that used to be people (I'm not even sure how to classify them). Then there are those that like to steal your vehicles or anything else that has any value. No, I'm not being over dramatic. Nope, I'm not going!!!!! No! No!!! HEEEELLLLLL NOOOOO!!!!

This little peach actually jumped out, ran to a car behind him to bum a cigarette, and then jumped back up in the truck with a practiced ease that gave him more than enough time to complete his mission before the light turned green.

Demon birds conspiring about who will bomb me from what direction. Ugh! They're so gross!!!

Or so I said. Now I'm going. And here's how I got suckered:

A few weeks ago a friend messages me about taking a couple of horses to Albuquerque if she decided to run them there. I asked the fiancé and he said that he would train them if she decided to send them. Friend contacts me today saying she has decided to send them with the fiancé. I tell him. He tells me it looks like I have to go to Albuquerque now because he can't have that many horses without me helping him. Do you see how I totally got outsmarted on this one? On top of that, he was quite smug about it. Jerk.

In all honesty, I was probably doomed to go from the beginning. This just gave him a better opportunity to justify it. Oh, well.

Don't get me wrong, I'm super happy to have the business and she has very nice horses. I'm not complaining about that part at all. However, be prepared to listen to me bitch about the Downs at Hellbuquerque from the end of this month until the middle of October. A lot! I don't give a crap how much they raised the purses, that place sucks!

In my defense, I have to go, but I have conditions that had to be met before I would agree.

He better be having this mentality the entire time I'm there!

1. My ass is gone with the truck, trailer, and load of horses as soon as the meet at Phoenix starts.

2. Both Indy and Beefheart are being boarded at my trainer's place.

Of course, I forgot to add that I get to take as many lessons as we can afford and that I am going to every show possible. I'll fit that into the package somehow though. Along with another trip to the Derby, a girl's weekend at Del Mar with my friend, a trip home.... let's see what else....oh yeah, a new camera, another pair of full custom Koenigs, and a new computer (okay, I'm pushing it). Oh yes, this one WILL cost him...

My fave trainer keeping me organized before a class on Winn.

There is one good thing about going and that is that I do get to ride with my favorite trainer and his wife. I've been so much more focused with my riding this year that I'll be more likely to take advantage of having a trainer so accessible. Especially after trying to do all of this dressage crap while being locked down at the racetrack this summer. A trainer, a real arena, no match racers to try and kill me while I ride (that obviously doesn't cover at the racetrack, of course). Yes, there is at least one positive part about being drug to Albuquerque kicking and screaming. Riding will help me survive it. Well, riding AND large quantities of alcohol.