You Probably Shouldn't Own Horses If....

.... you can't afford to feed them.
.... if your only source of professional advice and diagnoses is Facebook groups.
.... if your horse has lameness/illness/health issues and you keep saying "I know but I can't afford...."
.... if you don't know the meaning of "mare" and "stallion" I have seen these switched on many occasions.....
.... if you have ever referred to your mare as a "virgin". She is a MAIDEN. Yikes.
.... if you think getting on and bucking out a baby is an acceptable means of breaking a horse
.... if you have to ask if the morons on Facebook think your horse is too skinny. If you have to ask, the answer is yes. FEED IT.
.... if you wonder why your horse won't gain weight yet you feed it crap or not nearly enough
.... you are searching for a horse to buy and want something dead broke, child and husband safe, sound, able to jump 3ft or cut cattle, without losing it's mind, while staying sound for $200 bucks. Go buy Border Collie and train it to heard and do agility. I think that's more up your alley....
.... you want to switch disciplines then want all your new tack, that actually fits your horse, for $200. Get a life.
.... If you think the only way to care for feet is to keep them shod
.... if you think the only way to care for feet is for them to be barefoot
(let me explain.... it comes down to the idiviual horse. Some are better off one way, some are better the other and I have seen barns, including my own, that do barefoot trimming and shoeing as well)
.... if you want an OTTB or have one already yet know NOTHING about Thoroughbreds and have all these ignorant, stereotypical prejudices about how racehorses are trained and handled. JUST DON'T. Go talk to trainer, to the people that start them under saddle, to their exercise riders, to their owners, to anyone, and get to know how they are ACTUALLY trained and handled. 
.... if you horses are too skinny or too fat or have half their winter coat in July and you say you can't afford wormer. Seriously? It's $3 for the cheap stuff, $10 for the good stuff. $10 means you don't eat at McDonalds for lunch this week. Seriously!
.... If when you ask people on Facebook for advice because you refuse to call the vet or a professional who might actually know what needs to be done or is wrong and every piece of advice you are offered or idea that is come up with you shoot down. If you can't be open minded, don't ask for help. You apparently know everything.
.... if you think you know it all and don't need help. Think again.


TO BE CONTINUED

Saddles

I need to stop window shopping for saddle. I am addicted. I see all these beautiful, drool-worthy saddles that would be just perfect for me and Twister. But I need to stop drooling over stupid saddles! I have a saddle that is doing the job well and I can't afford a $1,200 M. Toulouse saddle anyways!!! Who am I kidding?

Also, I do not need another saddle pad,  I do not need another saddle pad, I do not need another saddle pad, I do not need another saddle pad, I do not need another saddle pad, I do not need another saddle pad, I do not need another saddle pad, I do not need another saddle pad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What I do need are winter boots!!!!!!!!!! Let's stay focused here, shall we???

Real Life

Last time I blogged I promised I'd make time to ride. I've been doing my best! But when you work 12 hours a day 6 days a week, sometimes sleeping becomes much more important than riding. So does cleaning your house and catching up on long-forgotten barn chores and making sure you have clean laundry for the next 6 days of work....

I miss my horse, though. We rode twice last week and I'm hoping to get in a ride this evening possibly. We went on a trail ride with friends last week and my big dummy of a horse forgot he has tender, bare feet and leaped down her creek bank onto all the rocks and now he is very sore. I jumped him a few days ago and it didn't go well. If I ride today he'll have to put his boots on. Same thing if we go riding Wednesday.

My 2 yr old ran himself into a fence 2 weeks ago and is finally starting to heal up and walk better. He has his spunk back so I know he's on the upside.

But oh, Twister. I know he's mad at me. He wants to go riding, to jump and hell, he'd probably even be happy with a little dressage if it meant he was getting ridden. He looks good, fit like I've been riding. I need to fit in a few more riding days a week, no ands ifs or buts. Real life doesn't want me to have riding time. But I need to kick real life in the face.

On another note, it's almost time to get ready for the W-word. :-( Not happy about it either. It's been cool at night lately and the sun doesn't feel so hot during the day. I know what's coming. I took all my winter blankets to the dry cleaner and I need to knock down cobwebs and start checking fence boards and stock up on bedding. I'm trying to find some stall mats to help with the bedding situation. Oh and here it is middle of September and I have NO HAY! Need to remedy that as well......... Why can't it be 65-75 all year round?!