Handing Over the Reins

I am now less than a week away from my six-week trip to Europe, and that means that I am very reluctantly preparing to leave my horses behind in the care of my family and friends.
If you own a horse, or even any kind of animal, you know that it can be very difficult to leave them behind for even a short amount of time - this feels like an eternity!

My family will be feeding all three horses and they do a fine job of it, but I couldn't leave Lady for six weeks to stew in a pasture and stiffen up or go crazy. I'm sure it wouldn't be as bad as I imagined it, but I just didn't feel right doing it that way.

Spoiled brat of a horse.

Anyways, I deliberated on the situation and ended up asking a friend of mine to give Lady some exercise while I'm away. She'll be working with/riding Lady 1-3x per week, which is plenty to keep her moving and limber.

Even though I'm totally fine with my friend's riding and experience and all that, there is still part of me that is very nervous about leaving my horse in someone else's hands. It wouldn't matter at all if I was leaving her with a fantastic famous trainer or whatever.... I would still be anxious.

So Rebecca has been over twice to ride Lady... and I'm starting to feel better.

Basically, I've allowed her to come and completely handle Lady on her own while I watch and offer input...  And it's been hard. I'm always the one to handle Lady, so the hand-off thing takes willpower on my end.

They are getting along... Lady has seemed compliant and willing and mostly happy about everything. Rebecca usually rides Western, so Lady will get a break from the dressage we've been doing lately (which I'm sure she'll like).

Of course its not going to be the same as if I was home handling and taking care of my own horse.... but Rebecca isn't about to ruin Lady's training, and Lady isn't about to dump Rebecca or anything like that.

It will be good for both of them.

I still want to stay with my horse though......