Beating the Bug

OMG. I just can't even with the bugs going around. So I was sick, then the baby then my person then the baby again. Now my person has a flu thing (not a stomach one thank God!) and Sianna has been sniffly and I can feel the sinus shit coming on for me. SO OVER IT! Fucking 80 some degrees in NOVEMBER and I feel like crap and even though I've had time to ride I haven't. My person and I both work with the public. Which means adults and children alike hacking and sneezing and snotting all over public places instead of freaking staying home with their DayQuil and a bottle of Purel.

E and a big group of us are going riding at her place Saturday (if I'm healthy!) so I feel like I should be doing something with Twister so that I don't get dropped in a field or ditch.... I put him in the machine Monday to jog some. And I need to trim up his front feet a bit so I can boot him. And I should ride or job him under tack in the machine at least once more. He thinks he's a racehorse. He hasn't been on a trail ride in over a year and he'll get in a big field there is a good chance he'd take off and fucking leave me hanging off his neck or in the dirt.....

Look at this pregnant mare.... i mean... really fat gelding...

I rode a week or so ago. Tried to do as much 2pt as possible. 30 mins straight of trot and canter (some in 2pt) left us both sweaty and needing a puffer. Other than that.... nothing.

Today I went outside to see what my person was doing.... idiot has a fever of 100.4 this morning and is out in the barn knocking shit down. Then he'll be in the house "ooohhh I feel like shit. My head hurts. I'm cold. I have a fever again". GAH, men! *Giant eye roll* I was like I should get Twister and ride. But eh. My heart isn't in it. Between the baby and him I hardly slept last night and I work this evening. So I hosed off winter blankets because it won't be 80* forever and took some pics of Rascal.

Did I mention that? Rascal is for sale. He just isn't getting the attention a young horse needs. And if Curtis doesn't heal up enough for racing he will probably end up being our extra riding horse.

http://louisville.craigslist.org/grd/5857619799.html

Hoof Transplant, Anyone??

Don't you wish that was a real thing? I guess I shouldn't complain. Carly's got it worse with Bobby's stupid feet. But seriously. I hate Twister's stupid feet. And I will bitch and complain to my heart's content.

This morning the baby took an early nap and I flew out to the barn to bring Twister and Rascal in and trim Twister's feet. They are a hot freakin mess. I want to cut them off and put new hooves on the end of his beefy legs.

left front, the bane of my existence 

He was pretty good about being trimmed before breakfast (which he never actually got because he is SO fat), I did the best I could in the time I had considering the condition of his feet. I stuffed the cracks with cotton soaked in Thrust Buster for the white line and then painted  them with Farrier Barrier (and spilled most of it all over the fucking shed row, grrrrrrrrrrrrrr) which I need to start doing on the daily.

left front, after..... oyvey

Here is a photo of my very fat, topline-less, shark-finned boy who is unimpressed by my lack of mints........

Then after I got him all done I hopped on bareback and walked him a few rounds in the shedrow. Which totally made my day. How can it feel amazing just to basically SIT on your horse? It just does!

will have to do this more often!!!

Now that his feet are done and will fit in his boots I can actually get in some real rides this week!!! YAY!

Boring Updates....

....because I haven't done horsie stuff besides cleaning up their shit in like a month.....

Not much going on here and a lot all at the same time.... just boring stuff. Sold Dnieper, ironically after my last post to a little breeding farm in East Texas. A couple of old school horsemen will mainly breed to their own mares with him. I think it's going to be a pretty good home for him. He will basically be a lawn ornament who gets lots of grooming, treats, plush stall and a few visits with the ladies each spring. Went to NY for a weekend to visit my besties from college and stand up for one of them in her wedding. That was a ton of fun! Then I came home and we had to bring Curtis home. He has a 75% tear in his right front tendon. So stall rest for him for a million years and maybe we can bring him back if another ultrasound shows it healed. If it doesn't, there goes his career as my next jumper. Though he would make a pretty dressage horse too. So there's always that outlook.

My carport and storage shed are done but the addition/sunroom probably isn't getting done this year :(

I have to work on Twister's and Rascal's feet this weekend. It's my project. I want to ride so bad but at this point they are too tender and their feet too awkward to boot. My person has promised to help. I will be holding him to that!!! I hate Twister's feet sooooo much. They are a fulltime job and I just don't have 10 minutes 6 days a week to doctor them, nor the $50 a month for special supplements nor the 45 mins every 7-10 days to trim them. Not to mention I'm not riding so he isn't getting the stimulation and blood flow he used to.... And he STILL has white line. I spent MONTHS last year cleaning out the cracks, soaking, medicinalizing, painting his feet and gave him SMZs and copper and Vit E to help fight the white line. But did it ever take a hike? Fuck no. I love this horse like crazy. He is the best horse. But I fucking hate his feet. SO. MUCH. Sometimes I just want to sell him and buy a horse who can go 4-6 weeks between trimmings like a normal, sound fucking horse.

*cries softly to myself*

And Twister has gotten a random grey patch on his withers. Not sure what that's from. I'd say poor saddle fit, but it's appeared since my last pregnant ride around New Years and I've ridden maybe 7 times since then? And it's a little further up than where either of my saddles go.... Hmmm....

because even when I hate him, I love him and he's
very handsome

Breeding vs No Breeding

I have posted Dnieper on Craigslist and Canter. I have said in BOTH ads "a breeding home is not an approved home". But the only calls I get are for people wanting to stand him. I get his bloodlines are pretty great, the lines on his dam's side are pretty rare even. But you no speak any English????

Some off the calls are pretty sketchy and I'm pretty sure he'd end up as dog meat if I followed through on any of them. But some are totally legit homes. Homes where he'd be well cared for. One where he'd even get to trail ride now and then.

After a month off he's actually looking awesome and we are toying with the idea of giving him the winter off and racing him in the spring. But we'd cut him next month if we did that. Effectively putting an end to breeding inquiries.....

Our for pleasure home price and our breeding home price are different mostly because the no breeding home price is basically just an adoption fee. Either way we are taking a huge loss on him. Are his bloodlines going to be such a huge loss to Thoroughbreds? Probably not.

You get what you pay for

So this came across my mind as I was washing all the winter things that have been hanging on the pegs on the wall getting musty. I have an Ariat vest that I have owned probably since my 2nd year in college. So like 8 years? It's my favorite. I didn't get to wear it last winter because I was a cow. But It still is in fabulous shape despite how much I wear it. It cost me probably about $50 when I originally bought it.

the vest, 2009

The point is, there is a reason horse people don't go to Wallyworld and buy their vests or wear leggings for daily riding (I have ridden in leggings plenty of times but seriously would not do it daily unless I wanted to flash the world) or wear cheap ass department store jackets in the winter. There is a reason we pay for "horse brand" items and it's not just the logo on the front that marks us as equestrians. They hold up! They were designed to not tear when a horse grabs you, they clean easily so you don't look like Big Foot running around covered in your horse's hair, they last forever!!!

My Professional's Choice jacket is being retired to be a barn coat this year after 3 winters of wearing it as a nice coat. It's super warm and water and wind resistant. And my Ariat Terrains and my Muck winter boots last foreverrrr. I wanted new color Mucks so I gave my old ones to Mom and she is still wearing them and they are 10 years old! My 10 year old Carhartt finally bit the dust and only because I was stuffing my large pregnant belly in it. I have one pair of Kerrits winter breeches that I've worn the crap out of for 7 years yet are still kicking! 

the Carhartt, Kerrits and Mountain Horse boots

Actually, the Mountain Horse boots were disappointing. One winter killed them. Like they just fell right around around the foot bed. Super comfy until water and snow was leaking in..........

So what do you think? "Horse brand" crap vs department store?

the vest again, a few years ago

STOP OFFERING ME DOGS!

No seriously. I had someone try to give me a puppy only 2 weeks ago. I put on my big girl panties and said no. A 4 month old baby, 3 horses at home that are super needy and 2 dogs that act like they are about to call Sara McLaughlin on me I just knew I wouldn't have time for a teeny little puppy. And today someone is offering me a lab that is trained and fixed and UTD on all his vet shit and he's black with a little white and would be perfect match for Mona Lu.  And I wants him! I wants him so much!

People need to stop offering me dogs that need homes. I've controlled myself so far but I'm not going to be able to keep it up! I want another dog so bad. Roader is basically a house dog and Mona could have a crazy friend. And he'd hardly need any training!

The fear of my person making me move into the barn with all my rehomed creatures is the only thing that has kept me from taking in each and every needy animal..... he probably wouldn't make me move into the barn......

Projects! Projects! Projects!

So much going on at my place right now. We still have the barn project where we took down the stalls on the southern wall of the barn, are opening it up and adding more overhang so we can use it at a machinery shed/trailer park.

And supposedly we are getting a roof put over the eurosizer this fall as well.

AND we are going to enclose our porch and make it into the guest room/office. Which means after that gets done I'll have to redo the baby's room to make it more baby friendly.

Part of changing up the barn is that we are taking down the 4 corner stalls in the shedrow so that we can have more room to ride, maybe even be able to do a little cantering in the shedrow. Which means I'll have to set up and make a new feed room. Which means cleaning out the current one and throwing old nasty shit away, being covered in cobwebs and snorting mold and dust.....

communal hay rack

Today my part was small. I put up the gate in Rascal's stall. Rascal is a destroyer of all things. He breaks halters and grazing muzzle, rips blankets and flysheets and he has broken more screw eyes and practically ripped his webbing in half. Because the board is all chewed up from Twister and Fatass who used to have that stall I had to set the gate a little low. On the bright side, it's at pony height for when we someday have a pony! ;)

he really isn't impressed. much harder to break
a gate....

I also have some Pintrest DIY-ers planned. Mainly to build a crate cover for Mona Lu's crate so when I inevitably have to bring it back in the house. If I could make it a crate/entry way table that would be super. And once we have the addition I want to upcycle stuff for the baby's room. I'm all motivated with my big ideas now but let's face it.... I'm not crafty. I'd rather buy a finished product. So we'll see.........

Cantering!!!!!!

I cantered on Twister this morning. For all of 2 minutes but I cannot even begin to tell you how happy it made me! It was the first time I've cantered since last October or so. It was invigorating! I felt like a little kid cantering in a lesson for the first time. We cantered a bit on both leads until Twister cantered out of his Easyboot. I hardly even peed myself. Sorry if that's TMI but it's the whole reason I haven't cantered in the 2.5 months I've been riding again. Those of you that have kids will understand. It happens. According to my bestie you'll pee a little when you sneeze for years after. Kegals only do so much. But anywaysssssss.................

I look ugly but omg I was having so much fun

her luvs riding horsies!

And then my person rode Rascal for the first time in a whole year. No, seriously. It was Labor Day weekend last year the last time he was ridden. He did great too! Stood to be mounted and walk trot canter like he's been ridden every day.

Oh, and Curtis didn't finish well on Saturday in his race. E came with me and the baby and she took some awesome pics. Curtis ran a really good race for not having done anything in over 2 months. We knew he was in over his head but sometimes you just need a race!

Da Money Man and baby girl's Abuelo

I want to steal him!

My person brought Curtis home last night because we are racing at Kentucky Downs today. So it's easier to run him off the farm. This morning he wanted to tack walk/jog him a little bit and we didn't have any bridle set up except for Twister's Micklem. So we used that. And how super cute is he!!!! I want to retire him RIGHT NOW and start retraining him.

Also, I'm pretty sure he's grown another 2 or 3 inches since I saw him last (which was a few months ago). Anyone else thinks he looks about 17 hands now?

I can't believe how big this kid is! Definitely bigger and bulkier than his big brother. If you're bored today watch us in the 6th today at KY Downs at 4:40pm CT.

-Want to go fast!
-Easy, big horse! You can go fast later!

Synthetics - A tack cleaning avoidance strategy

Yesterday after my ride I hosed down my comfy synthetic tall boots. I've had to ride in them the last couple months because my paddock boots crapped out on me...... but now they are gorgeous. So easy. Just hose them down. My western saddle, all nasty and dusty, just hose down. So why am I still riding in a leather English saddle?

stupid leather saddle that has to be wiped down every
day because of the stupid mold. stupid humidity.

All my tack is in an insulated room and yet it's all moldy! Freaking humidity! It's a pain in the ass enough to have to clean my bridles because they don't make synthetic Micklems, because that would be cheap and shitty looking. But I seriously need to sell this crap saddle I don't like anyways and find myself a synthetic English saddle. I'm not even that picky!...as long as my ass fits in it... An old Wintec CC would be great. But I am so over cleaning tack! Tack I am hardly using but is forever getting nasty!!

"this saddle is a bit big for me, mom!"

How to start a Monday

We didn't have a very good week last week. Tuesday was filled with lots of screaming in the truck when we went to pick up lumber. Wednesday wasn't too bad. But Thursday and Friday were terrible. By the end of Friday Sianna and I were both crying. She is teething and that also makes her colicky. And you can't just give her banamine and hand walk her until she craps. You rock them while they scream and you keep giving infant gas relief drops and gripe water and chamomile tea. And pray for them to feel better. Pray for them to start crying. Yesterday and today have been the best days in a week.

I always knew there were horses at the end of the rainbow

And this morning after I fed all the animals and the baby and my person, I put the baby down for a nap and ran out and got on Twister. We spent about 20 minutes riding and getting chewed on by flies but it was totally what a I needed. Twister was really good after he tried to pop a couple of wheelies. He moved out pretty good for a horse who hates hoof boots and was wearing hoof boots. They make him look prettier when he moves. Lol!

centaur selfie 

Because I only ride once every couple of weeks I don't try to do anything too fancy with Twister. I ask him to move off my leg, be somewhat bendy, and be soft in his mouth. No pulling my arms off please!

And because he's hardly been ridden and feels mega neglected, he basically does anything I ask. So after he gets being frisky out of his system we have a nice ride until giant monster horse flies start chewing on not only his ass, but mine as well.

Here is a little video. Nothing amazing. But it makes me SO happy to watch!

And here is an ovary-melting cutie to start your week off right!

WW: 2 and 4 legged children

I like big butts and I cannot lie!

Roader snuggles

doggie swim day at the Bardstown city pool

Mona made all kinds of random doggie friends.
"Dog! Come back with my ball!"

already getting some weight on!

nothing like a good roll!

16 weeks old today! Nearly 4 months old! How the hell did that happen???