Horse Show Prep

Donna the Dodge now has a new friend, Carl the Camper

No, I have not in fact been riding my horses. :| 

But, Bf and I recently acquired this sweet truck bed camper! There isn't water or a bathroom but the bed area is pretty decent (6" less than a full..not big by any means) and it is pretty roomy inside! 

$500 later and I won't have to have a hotel ever again (even if I may want to haha). We actually decided to find something like this because our local country music festival is coming up and we didn't want to tent camp on the venue. We figured we would just rent a camp trailer but at $100+ a night we thought we might see what we could find. Because our truck is a long bed (8 ft), and most teeny camper trailers are 13 ft, we figured we'd save the hitch to pull a trailer and just get a tuck bed camper. 

We have some cosmetic updates to make and hopefully will be installing an air conditioning unit on the roof but for the time being I'm pretty stoked with how solid this is. 

Any ideas for what to keep stocked 24/7 in this bad boy? I'm thinking first aid, some cook wear, and emergency clothes.

Backup to 2017: Trailer

 

 In my serious case of not having enough time, I believe I failed to mention one of my major accomplishments this year. I got a trailer! Well, technically, I got two trailers. Here is the story:

(I briefly mentioned I got a truck, Donna the Dodge, in 2016 and have yet to show pictures. I'll get a full pic of the rig one day)

I mentioned to horse trainer that one of my goals was to get a trailer to keep at my house because if something ever happened I wanted to know I could take the horses to the vet hospital. She agreed and because her horses were there too, she offered to help me buy one. Somehow she then became determined and the next week told me she bought a trailer and told me to go pick it up.

This gave me major anxiety because I hate feeling like I owe someone and I also had no way to immediately pay her back. She wasn't too worried though and said I'd have her paid off in no time. The trailer was perfectly fine for what I needed. A 4 horse turned 3 horse slant load with stock sides. Perfectly large tack room and light weight. It was old and hand dings but what did I care? 

And then we moved (and I just remembered I have a whole post to write up about that still!)

And on the property was a gorgeous basically brand new all aluminum three horse trailer with a tack room and dressing room. CJ (horse trainer) mentioned to the current owner of the house if he ever wanted to sell it she would be interested. The sale of the house went through and upon move in we saw the trailer was still there. CJ called previous owner and asked why it was there and he said he wanted her to buy it. He was basically selling it for 60% less than what he bought it for new even though he maybe used it a few times (seriously it looked brand new, even on the inside!). So CJ happily obliged and determined she would sell my current trailer and sell me her old one instead. 

Of course I wanted her old one; it was very nice and light weight. But I certainly didn't need it. Anyway, within two weeks CJ had my old trailer sold and I headed to the bank to get a loan to buy this trailer. And here we are. The rig is complete! And I'm even more poor now than ever before.

The Storm

From left to right: Czoltar, Vermont, and Merlot!

Ever since I've started back at school I've just been in this overwhelming rush. Nothings been getting done and my to do list just keeps stacking up and I can't get it to go down. On top of all the Riesling depression, I just found out the hound dog has thyroid cancer. This time of year all my bad karma catches up to me.

So I've made a decision. Fuck it. I've gotten through life thus far on the seat of my pants I'm not going to worry about all the things I never got done.

Best view out my kitchen window

I'm taking each day at a time and really taking a step back. I'm dropping a class in school that I really don't need (while still graduating on time) and probably won't spend much time riding for the rest of the year. I haven't been able to take care of myself and that comes first.

My horses still get out and get loved every day. I'm still going to take my tests and pass my classes, just probably won't read any of my textbooks.

Skeptical doggo is skeptical. Need to introduce her still!

I just need to take care of myself for once. I normally can get going on a kick for 3 ish months before something happens and I'm doing the bare minimum. I want a high standard of self care to be my new bare minimum.

Also I really enjoy reading blogs and writing them, so I'm making that a bigger priority. With one of my classes gone I hope to use that time instead to read and write. What is it with fall that my life seems to always go haywire?

Changes

This is the crazy but awesome life change that flipped my world around and has been occupying my time this past month.

We've (bf and I) moved! CJ owned my last house I rented, the 100+ year old farm house. She mentioned to me last year that she wanted to acquire a bigger and better farm that she would love bf and I to manage. 

She mentioned to me back in April that it looks like it might be happening. We both comtained our excitement until the day the new house closed. The house closed on June 15th and its been a whirlwind leading up to that day and still after. 

We officially moved about 3 weeks ago, but we are definitely still unpacking. Naturally a new barn tour is coming but until then, this the specs on the new diggs. 

10 acres, double the square footage (but our last house was a 750 sqft closet), 11 stall barn (9 of which have attached runs), lighted outdoor roping sized arena. Wohoo! Of course our rent substantially increased as well as the workload, but I couldnt be more excited for the possibilities. 

Oh and one summer class is down, three less credits until I get my degree! 

Elevator Music

I feel like my blog is so boring and on such a standstill. So just try and get through the boring elevator music for just a few weeks more, I promise fun is on the horizon!

Here is a little life update:

Riesling: Riesling is cleared to go back into work 100%. I threw him on the lunge for my vet and homeboy was rocking and rolling. Normally I have to chase him so this was really exciting to see how good he was feeling!

Baby Z: He was a turd yesterday for getting caught for his fall vaccines. I can't wait to put more baby training on him when I get this dumb boot off. He is huge and in another awkward stage. Much baby fat. I showed my vet his right fetlock deviation and he seemed 100% unconcerned for his future. Yay pony!

Rosewood Farms: We officially have a ranch truck! Her name is Donna. I'll show pictures within the next few days. The ranch is getting even more cleaned up and we are about 95% done with the facelift. Again, pictures are coming I just always wear yoga pants without pockets for my phone forget. Sammie will also be getting a baby sister! I should be going to pick up the little munchin this weekend. YAY PUPPERS. 

Kitten Friday!

I've been meaning to share and take more pictures! Here are my lovely kittens, they are 7 weeks old and just about ready to go to their forever homes! They are so stinking cute I want to keep them all. There are 2 boys and three girls. The two black kittens are boys. Their names are Sherwin and Puzzles (why is he named puzzles? That's the puzzle, Ted!!) The three girls are named Misty (friend already picked her out and named her), Waffles, and Taco. Name creating genius, I know. 

Riesling Update

Ries is a happy horse and enjoying his time at home. I am so relieved. Saturday he was scheduled to start work again. I pulling him out of his stall and he was already acting gimpy so I hand grazed, and watched as bf trotted him out for me to see. Yep, 100% unchanged. *sigh*

I immediately felt a stab in my gut and wanted to cry. After a solid 15 minutes of moping, I came to my senses and became determined. I WILL NOT let you be a pasture puff this easily, Ries (much to his dismay). 

I called all the callable professionals and began formulating a plan. My sand arena isn't in yet (no surprise lol) but the dirt arena in front of my house still has decent footing. Because movement is generally the best medicine, I've opted to start hand walking Ries for 15 min daily. He loves spending time with me and I can see him relax and enjoy the stroll (or maybe he just likes the end where he grazes my lawn). 

After speaking with my team of professionals I've ordered Pentosan and am going to try that. I'll begin to start letting him work as well, and let him tell me how he wants to proceed. Right now, he is an eager beaver to get moving. I'm going to start really delicately and if he regresses I will definitely just go back to hand walking. 

I have backup plans as well but no point in discussing those yet because that isn't the goal!

Meanwhile, Rosewood Farms updates; two of the four outbuildings have been beautifully resided. Tbh the before picture is embarrassing and definitely not the reflection I wanted. But now it is clean, classy, and functional! Oh and I also snagged this epic decal (I'm in love with it). 

Fire Storm

Mac should be in a Pantene commercial

Well yesterday was a whirlwind. Just as I got home I got a call from my horse trainer who is out of town that there was a fire behind the hill at her house. She asked if I could go check her place to make sure everything was ok (there is another student staying there because I'm on a little break). 

So of course I drove out there. It really reminded me of that July 10 Questions blog hop going around about the barn fire. I was praying the fire wasn't too big of a threat because I wasn't ready to face that sort of thing for real yet. My goal when getting there was to see how far the fire was away, what direction it was going, and collect ponies from the hillside. 

Dakota thought I was hiding cookies in my hair

There is nothing more lovely to be doing than convincing a horse to follow his friend when its over 100 outside and hes pretty sure the hot wire is still up. Mac is a crazy semi-feral pony that loves to run through fences, which is why he was retired. He isn't handled at all anymore and is just the companion to Dakota, the retiree. He must have given up his guilty pleasure because no matter how many times I walked Dakota back and forth through the opening in the fence he was pretty sure he'd get zapped. When he's at my house I can easily get them in the paddock and catch him with little issues, but with so much room to run he took that option. 

Finally after about 45 minutes we got him out and to the barn area. Dakota happily marched into the pen and we were hoping Mac would follow him, but instead mac ran around the property wondering why he couldn't get to his friend. It was a little easier to convince him to get in the stall and this time only took about 15 minutes. Poor guy worked himself all up. 

I finally arrived home at around 9 PM and took care of the animals there. My questionably pregnant cat had been missing all day and I was getting worried. I looked everywhere and couldn't find her. I gave up and she wandered into the bathroom when I was getting ready for bed. She looked slightly skinnier and had a wet bottom. I followed her to the kitchen where there was a wet pink fabric thing on the floor..I examined it and determined it was one of those ribbon hair ties. I was guessing she must have puked it up and sat in her watery mess?? Maybe it was the hairtie that made her look so bloated?

I sat with her on the floor of the kitchen a little longer and she finally wandered into the guest room, and under the bed. I shined a flashlight under there and saw a black blob in the corner under the bed. It wasn't moving so I guessed it was either socks or stillborn kittens. I moved the mattress (the bed frame is a log bed and NOT moving with just me) and reached under..and they were kittens and alive! I transferred them to a hamper with towels and set up camp for momma Nala. There are five kittens. They were all nursing last night! This morning momma moved her kittens again and it was the spay appt for her less of a hussy sister so I didn't get a chance to locate them and you better but I'll be worried about it all day!

I poured myself a giant glass of wine, drank it down, and passed out. What a night. 

Hamburgler

Or rather, Chickenburgler. Fourth of July, we woke up to all the chickens in the driveway. Except the rooster. He vanished. 

We have both a chain and bungee cord securing the door to the coop. Unfortunately, both of those mysteriously came off the door to let the chickens escape. My bf is convinced someone stole our rooster.

Apparently this is a thing? Well, down to one Nugget left. The odds are not in her favor.