Help?

As "fall" approaches here in Texas (despite the lingering 90+ temps), I know that the shorter days are looming and I have 4 horses to ride (2 with the goal of selling).  I altered my work schedule this week to try for a 6a-3pm type of arrangement and it's been working really well except I STILL don't have enough time.  Hypothetically the covered arena will mean more winter riding no matter what plus having 6 horses is just too.many for someone like me so I needed to do something.

Living in a college town has a few perks and one is that you have a source for working students.  Since I'd been working on Vana and Jade, I'd just focused on that as we flew through the fall show season.  With our last show coming up though, I knew it was time to plan for the winter "down" time and did an ad for needing a working student.  Unlike before, I was pretty specific in what I wanted as far as skills went and I was pleased with the assortment of people dying to come ride my motley crew.

The first person that came out has barn, groom, and riding experience to 2nd level.  She's also interested in getting an OTTB to train in eventing.  Hai.  We met and she came back the next day to ride Simon.  They got on well and she liked my training methods so needless to say she had the job.  I had another interview where I just wasn't feeling it and then one more for Sunday where she'd done a lot in Australian and seemed like a good candidate for... something. 

When I met this girl, she was gutsy, game for anything, and super intense.  Kind of reminded me of a certain painted pony... We tacked poor Piper up for her first ride in two years and she just rocked it with the girl.  I think Piper was so happy to be heading off maternity leave and I told the girl she had it.

So the gist is I work Vana and Jade with the working students helping me with that, plus doing chores, plus riding "their" horses under my instruction.  Shows will be on a rotating basis (one of the girls is coming to Regionals on Saturday to help me pack up woot!) It looks like a win win and it was SO thrilling to end a day knowing that FOUR horses had been worked before dark.  Oh and it doesn't hurt that the girls love my critters.

Piper is so excited about being ridden.  Or selfies.  Hard to tell.  Zara is just happy in general.