The Time to Prepare is Now
Recently, I was startled awake at 3:00 in the morning by claps of thunder. My first thought was a horse in the barn was cast, so I listened in the dark for a few seconds as I tried to decide if I needed to get out of bed. Soon, a flash of lightning lit up my room and another thunderclap had my dog whining beside me.
It’s not uncommon for noises from the barn to wake me. My worries about the trouble the horses may have gotten into will have me climbing from my warm bed, pulling on my boots, and trudging out into the dark in my pajamas to check on them. Usually, all is fine, the horses talk me into a flake of hay, and I return to the house and try to fall back asleep.
So I found myself relieved when I realized on this early morning it was just an unusual-for-us thunderstorm. I pulled the covers up and listened as the storm rolled up the valley and the wind and rain beat on my little house. I get so complacent and relaxed in summer. Life is easy; except for a few hot days and having to water the garden, summer is a piece of cake in the Pacific Northwest. But as I lay in bed that morning, I felt my old familiar anxiety about the upcoming winter creep into my mind and realized I was done sleeping for the night.
September is when my winter PTSD sets in and I start worrying what winter has in store for us: damaging winds, heavy rain, flooding, deep freezes, weeks of snow—I’ve seen it all since moving to Whatcom County in the early 1980s. Preparation for winter is an all-summer-long job. Get the firewood in, the hay and shavings in, the gravel in and spread. Make sure the gutters are cleaned out, and then clean them again. Are the ditches clear? Insurance paid up? Roof in good shape?
I remind myself that usually all is well. Winter can be a time to snuggle in and appreciate long nights in the house, less traveling, and more time with family and friends. But still, I check and double-check my preparations and worry just a little.
Happy fall to all of you! Enjoy the beautiful weather and get out riding (and get ready for winter!).
See this article in the September 2024 Online Digital Edition:
September 2024
Kim Roe grew up riding on the family ranch and competed in Western rail classes, trail horse, reining, working cow, and hunter/jumper. She trained her first horse for money at 12 years old, starting a pony for a neighbor.
Kim has been a professional dressage instructor in Washington state for over 30 years, training hundreds of horses and students through the levels. In recent years Kim has become involved in Working Equitation and is a small ‘r’ Working Equitation judge with WE United.
Kim is the editor of the Northwest Horse Source Magazine, and also a writer, photographer, and poet. She owns and manages Blue Gate Farm in Deming, Washington where she continues to be passionate about helping horses and riders in many disciplines.
