A Most Rewarding Experience

[DumpHollow]

We have a 42 acre farm and 4 horses, That’s a full time commitment, tending the horses, pastures, et al. We are fortunate to have an horse savvy women to help us out three days a week. That gives me a break to schedule health care appointments and other non-farm related stuff on the days when I get that support. But, her availability is limited. My wife works and has health care issues that take her out of the picture for full time support.

A couple weeks ago, I’m on the driveway to the barn when this car pulls up and young girl approaches me, asking for work. She was cute as a button and wearing a 4H tee shirt. I asked her if she could clean stalls and what she wanted to do. She said, “I’ll do anything.” She has no horse savvy but lives on a farm and has goats.

So,I told her that I would talk to my wife and get back to her, taking her name and number. Turns out that she got her drivers license, the first day here.

My wife and I talked and decided to offer her an opportunity. She is smart, reliable, and the horses are really comfortable around her. I’ve been schooling her about handling the horses, which she is doing well with.

Just having a young person demonstrate that level of initiative and willingness to work for a dollar gives me hope for the future of this country.

 

[nakneker]

It’s certainly rare with today’s young people to have one show ambition and responsibility, talk to any tradesman and their biggest problem right now is finding good help, people of all ages for that matter.

The simple fact that she had a 4-H shirt on gives her a gold star in my book, what a great program to teach young people about livestock and responsibility. Get up and feed that steer, pig or sheep every day and get it ready for the county fair, learn how to groom and show it, maybe even get lucky and win Grand Champion and get rewarded at the auction.

I grew up on a ranch, we didn’t have a lot of money but we were rich in other ways, wouldn’t trade my childhood or the people I come from for anything.

I’m glad you found someone to help, it’s a good opportunity to mentor a young person at an age where opportunities for impressions and lessons abound. The majority of the youngsters now days are lacking but we shouldn’t forget that there are still a lot of good ones who are being taught by great parents and are every bit as good as any of our generations, gotta give credit where credit is due.

 

[rwj]

Just having a young person demonstrate that level of initiative and willingness to work for a dollar gives me hope for the future of this country.

No doubt started with great parents…

 

[Fuj]

Similar experience 40 years ago. I had quarter horses that were
shown. A young girl down the road would come up to help feed
clean stalls, and groom. We went over to Arcaro's in Kingsville Ohio,
and bought her some tack of her own for the work. Great kid. She
graduated, and went on to college to become a grade school teacher.
Her kids are using that same saddle she earned as a 14 year old......

 

[hpshooter]

Similar experience 40 years ago. I had quarter horses that were
shown. A young girl down the road would come up to help feed
clean stalls, and groom. We went over to Arcaro's in Kingsville Ohio,
and bought her some tack of her own for the work. Great kid. She
graduated, and went on to college to become a grade school teacher.
Her kids are using that same saddle she earned as a 14 year old......

 

[Riesel]

We have a 42 acre farm and 4 horses, That’s a full time commitment, tending the horses, pastures, et al. We are fortunate to have an horse savvy women to help us out three days a week. That gives me a break to schedule health care appointments and other non-farm related stuff on the days when I get that support. But, her availability is limited. My wife works and has health care issues that take her out of the picture for full time support.

A couple weeks ago, I’m on the driveway to the barn when this car pulls up and young girl approaches me, asking for work. She was cute as a button and wearing a 4H tee shirt. I asked her if she could clean stalls and what she wanted to do. She said, “I’ll do anything.” She has no horse savvy but lives on a farm and has goats.

So,I told her that I would talk to my wife and get back to her, taking her name and number. Turns out that she got her drivers license, the first day here.

My wife and I talked and decided to offer her an opportunity. She is smart, reliable, and the horses are really comfortable around her. I’ve been schooling her about handling the horses, which she is doing well with.

Just having a young person demonstrate that level of initiative and willingness to work for a dollar gives me hope for the future of this country.

Many Thanks for giving her the opportunity and taking the time to teach her. Some of the best horse handlers, in my opinion, are women.

 

[rayporter]

back a while i had a neighbor boy in the same boat. he helped me with stalls while i rode the colts. come deer season i gave him a new 30-06.

 

[Shooter13]

We have a 42 acre farm and 4 horses, That’s a full time commitment, tending the horses, pastures, et al. We are fortunate to have an horse savvy women to help us out three days a week. That gives me a break to schedule health care appointments and other non-farm related stuff on the days when I get that support. But, her availability is limited. My wife works and has health care issues that take her out of the picture for full time support.

A couple weeks ago, I’m on the driveway to the barn when this car pulls up and young girl approaches me, asking for work. She was cute as a button and wearing a 4H tee shirt. I asked her if she could clean stalls and what she wanted to do. She said, “I’ll do anything.” She has no horse savvy but lives on a farm and has goats.

So,I told her that I would talk to my wife and get back to her, taking her name and number. Turns out that she got her drivers license, the first day here.

My wife and I talked and decided to offer her an opportunity. She is smart, reliable, and the horses are really comfortable around her. I’ve been schooling her about handling the horses, which she is doing well with.

Just having a young person demonstrate that level of initiative and willingness to work for a dollar gives me hope for the future of this country.

I love stories like this! I have 2 granddaughters, one is 22 and "in search of herself", the 18 y/o just graduated H/S and is headed for college, she has been the one to help my son with the side x side, knows how to change a tire, and replaced the fender on her car that she bumped. She has been working part time jobs for almost 4 years and this past year worked for a company that she moved up in and started training others!! So proud of her, the other one I think will come around. Pray for it!

 

[DRK]

We have a 42 acre farm and 4 horses, That’s a full time commitment, tending the horses, pastures, et al. We are fortunate to have an horse savvy women to help us out three days a week. That gives me a break to schedule health care appointments and other non-farm related stuff on the days when I get that support. But, her availability is limited. My wife works and has health care issues that take her out of the picture for full time support.

A couple weeks ago, I’m on the driveway to the barn when this car pulls up and young girl approaches me, asking for work. She was cute as a button and wearing a 4H tee shirt. I asked her if she could clean stalls and what she wanted to do. She said, “I’ll do anything.” She has no horse savvy but lives on a farm and has goats.

So,I told her that I would talk to my wife and get back to her, taking her name and number. Turns out that she got her drivers license, the first day here.

My wife and I talked and decided to offer her an opportunity. She is smart, reliable, and the horses are really comfortable around her. I’ve been schooling her about handling the horses, which she is doing well with.

Just having a young person demonstrate that level of initiative and willingness to work for a dollar gives me hope for the future of this country.

We just gave a 4H kid a $300 donation. I have a new born son, in a few years he'll be doing it, good to see some kids doing something other than play on electronics.

 

[WileyG]

It's a blessing when an honest young person reaches out for opportunity and it will likely be impossible to fully take in how these situations take that youngster down the path of life but at least they showed up at the right place on the right day with the right attitude. God bless all involved in this!

 

[fx77]

Key is the fact she grew up on a farm

Years ago I had to interview a few applicants for a position
The key was what makes the applicant think he/she is a hard worker

Had a few Ivy Leaguers with high grades and pedigrees

There was one guy from KY who answered " All I know is hare work. I grew up on a farm, and at 3 AM every winter day I had to chop holes in the ice for cattle to drink" I found my guy.

 

[DumpHollow]

Thanks for all of the “likes”.

This story gets better. Normally, she comes at 4:00 PM. Last week, she asked if it would be OK to come at 6:00. I said, “Certainly.” Well, Saturday evening comes and by 19:30, she hadn’t shown up. My wife reached out to find out what was going on. Come to find out that she had come at 6:00 AM, did her work and left. I noticed that the stalls were clean when I brought the horses in at 08:00, but thought that my wife had picked them out.

She apologized for the miscommunication when I saw her on Sunday. It never occurred to me that she was up at 5 AM to be here at 6 AM.