10/26/2025
I am so thankful for understanding clients. I had to cancel my Wisconsin trip. I am completely open to scheduling another trip up that way soon!
Before you read on you should know this post includes a trigger warning of major drama below.
So the client we will call L booked her barn visit in Wisconsin on Saturday last week. I agreed and told her the invoice for the deposit which will be due on Monday. Monday came, no payment. We had been in contact through the week, she was assuring me payment was coming. I am low key stressing about it all week because with out the event the trip will barely break even for me to go see the people that I had scheduled to see on my way to the event and back. I kept thinking even if she doesn't pay I have been wanting to go on a Wisconsin trip for years. I had 19 visit inquiries! The amount of inquiries really blew my mind, but because the trip was last minute a lot of people couldn't fit me into their schedule. I still booked a total of 6 stops! I had several elderly or medically complicated horses that I was scheduled to meet and I couldn't wait to scratch their favorite spots before they leave this plane of existence. This was still going to be a great trip and I was genuinely excited about going!
Anyway Friday rolls around and L hasn't paid. I had frankly written it off at this point. I had already dropped my kiddo off at his Grandma's house so that I could hit the road late Saturday. Its Friday evening when my beloved and I are having dinner when I get a call from my Mom saying Ronnie has a bad cough and the cousin he had been playing with has strep throat. My mom thinks she may need to take Ronnie to urgent care to get antibiotics while I am gone. I am taking photos of my son's insurance card to send to my Mom when L calls, not to make payment or to cancel her trip, but to ask for a free emergency session because her horse she can't catch is out. I tell her my son is sick and I can't connect right now and she starts to cry. I feel bad and ask for a picture. She sends one and the horse, Shadow says: Yes there is hay but there's not enough grass in the pasture, so I keep letting myself out. I normally don't go far. The grass is soo thick on the wrong side of the fence and it's getting to be winter. I need all the real grass I can get. I am a wild mustang I don't eat hay unless I am starving and there is real grass right there! So I go to where the real grass is. What is the issue? I explain the issue and the mustang tells me that people are stupid. I agreed. I told L how to catch Shadow but told her that once Shadow figures out you are trying to put her up she will most likely walk away to go feed herself. L needs to set it up so she can kind of funnel Shadow in and not let Shadow get back past her. I then ask L about the payment and the trip. She bursts into tears saying she can't pay. I told her I would let EVERYONE know and disconnected from Shadow but before I disconnected I am sure she felt how I felt just having the service just provided stolen. She was crying hysterically as I explained to her that my son is sick I need to put my focus there. She later texted me saying Shadow has walked away from her and she can't find her. Now everyone knows.
I talked with my son, Ronnie, and got the insurance information to my Mom, and I then sat down. AND then I started to think about what happens if I am gone and my son, Ronnie, has a complication with his asthma. Even though I am leaving my kiddo in great hands, I just couldn't leave. I didn't even want him to even be at my mom's house sick and not be there with him. My Mom anxiety got the better of me. I messaged my clients and cancelled the trip. All of my clients said to me that they were Moms and understood. Two told me they would of made the same decision and then one even asked to make it a long distance session instead!
I picked up Ronnie from my mom's house and he is home safe and sound under my watchful eye. Yes, I am that kind of mom. Ronnie is doing pretty good but I can tell he's still not feeling that great because has been sleeping for the last 13 hours and asked for soft things for dinner last night. I am sure he will be better in no time.
