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!