boarding school 2015

**imagining all the hilarity that will ensue when they come home**

I'm ready for sure. Rather tired of all the driving... I'll be going tomorrow for a quick visit since we have a dinner thing to go to tomorrow. It would be nice to have the horses at home and not need to drive 2 hours to see them for 3.

I can imagine....all that time driving would be freed up to do other stuff.

It's exciting. It'll be a few more months of commuting to get things set up and my mind wrapped around the idea of not having to go into an office. But, it's exciting nonetheless.

It was really cold and windy today. I'm not up to snuff yet with the head cold hanging on. So, I just visited the horses, cleaned up, put more hay in the feed area, and petted noses. I hope to feel better tomorrow so I can ride. It's supposed to be cold again, but that shouldn't bother me if I feel well. Spring colds really stink.

Becky, I think what's going on with your job is great. Your mind will get there.

I understand not being up to snuff with a head cold. Still at least you got to bop noses and visit

I brushed and brushed and brushed Kina. I think I scraped enough hair off to cover her at least once. She still has more. When I took the saddle pad off after our ride, there was a mini's worth of hair on it.

One of those huh?

Oh yeah. I've started calling her my little yak. Envoy, on the other hand, is almost all shed out. He has a lot of thoroughbred on his daddy's side, so he's got fine hair that sheds so easily. Kina is full Arab, but she is also pony-sized, so she grows a really good winter coat.

I brought the last of the winter hay to school today. I will have to go buy more this weekend from a friend. Then, I need to find a big load for the summer. I don't use much in the summer, but I can't be without. There are days when the horses stay inside because of heat/bugs, and there are trailer trips.

That lasted a long time but then good quality hay does. You do feed as much because the horses waste very little.

I have decided that the cheap hay isn't worth the price we pay. My horses poop on it and make a mess, but they don't eat it. They ate EVERY blade of this load. I am buying 20 bales from a friend tomorrow, and then I hope new loads from the west start coming in. Right now, the only hay available is older stuff from all over.

And the older stuff you have to be careful with. If not stored properly it can be molded and have bird poop and other nasty things in it.

Yuck! Yup. Today was load/unload beautiful hay from my friend. (Her poor horse is on a restricted diet because the rich hay caused laminitis.) And, my husband and I reset a fence line. It was leaning badly, so we took down boards, straightened posts, and used my favorite tool (nail gun) to reset the boards. Tiring day!

Makes my back and knees ache just reading about it.

My friend is going out of town for a couple weeks. I will be going to boarding school every day (even on Fridays that I normally take off) to help her husband with her horses. Fortunately, they are easy keepers, and the weather will let them stay outside most of the time.

That's good.

It will be an interesting change of pace for you.

Great day at the barn today. The super thunder and rain of last night didn't leave too much mud, and the sun/breeze were great. I had to move very heavy hay, so I was tired. Envoy and I had a nice, relaxing walkabout. He can't wait to come home and go on walks around the streets. He wants to go visiting.

No riding today. I had to repair a fence and wash my friend's horse's rear. He has gut issues, and was a mess. Yuck! The things we do for the furry kids.

I know.....those kind of issues are not easy on the eyes or the nose but somebody has to do it. Think of how the furkid feels.....all yucky inside and probably embarrassed about how it looks on the outside.

He seemed better today. It was all rainy, so he got more of a bath. And, he gets to spend the night inside, which might give him a bit more rest. I hope he feels better tomorrow.

So do I. i know what stalls look after something like that.

Yeah... His rest and some chopped hay seem to be helping. His is a chronic condition that I think might be caused by ulcers. Fortunately, he isn't exploding, but he just "leaks" yucky stuff.

Today was Envoy riding day. He seemed happy to do things, but his right hind leg still isn't right. I need to save up some money and have it looked at again. Fortunately, he's not terribly uncomfortable at the walk. We can keep him in fairly good shape with walking exercises.

The horses don't know it, but I got them hay for at home today. I only got what would fit in my truck since I don't need much in the summer. I'll probably go back for more in a couple months, but I also think I'll start stocking up for winter earlier than usual this year. Hay seems less expensive when it isn't such a commodity.

That's a great idea and properly stored it does last a long time.