Barn Pixie

Bully is worried about very few things. One of them is pigs. Guess what moved into the pen next to the barn where the chickens used to live?

Yup.

It is a small pig, as pigs go, and mostly fuzzy white bristles, and black ears. He has the most lovely eyelashes. He talks to himself, grunting and snorting and squeaking and singing, rootling about in the pen.

Bully is appalled. Appalled to the point of disinterest in his feed, pacing his stall and having to have water carried out to him where he stomps at the far end of the field having discreet elderly fits. I hand grazed him so he had some food in him, and I think he probably grazed a tiny amount while he was turned out today.

I really, really hope he settles down enough to eat soon. I guess we can give him some of his feed separated from the mare in the back pasture.

foolish old man

Al had to drive me over to see Bully yesterday, on account of the migraine, and I wanted him to see the horse he has so kindly underwritten for the year, and the tiny adorable barn where he's living....

What strikes me as funny is that if you whapped Al on the head with a magic wand, he'd turn into a horse very like Bully - fine boned, high strung, dark wispy hair, tons of education, generally unflappable but easily startled, hard to feed, twisty sense of humor, fast but slightly klutzy, generally aloof

The longer Al looked at Bully the more similar I found them, and the more it made me laugh.

I was too wiped to ride, but I wanted to pat the horse and lunge him to see if he was sound, which he was, and let him graze for a little, which he did. He's settled in really well, and is calmer at the new place than he was at the old place - more willing to eat in one place for longer, and less likely to grab two bites and circle around me.

Lesson on Bully today, still working on being a six day a week rider... epic fail yesterday, on account of my goddamn head. There are days I'd like to just remove it, and maybe replace it with one that doesn't hurt so much. Except the odds are that it wouldn't think the same way either, and I've spent years getting this set of thought processes in place....

rode three out of five weekdays, which seems like the beginnings of success,

an old saddle of his is now mine and fits us both well enough for the moment, the fitter is coming when she gets back from Philly, borrowed leathers and irons, his bridle, his brushes, new bell boots, borrowed brushing boots for all four legs, new lunge line, still need a rain sheet/wind breaker layer (he gets cold easily) he has a light fleece blanket and a tough winter one already

going to make cinnamon saddle soap this weekend, because I heard on NPR that cinnamon oil inhibits mold, plus it would make the barn smell awesome

got cool calories, or something like it, to help make him FAT for winter, he is NOT an easy keeper, already I am worrying about it

horse has front shoes, no rear yet, the farrier says "we'll let him tell us if he needs them"

I am not sure the $$ allocated will both feed and house the horse and let me compete in th spring. Which sucks, but i will figure something out.

Fell asleep this morning after getting everyone off to school & etc., had hairy dreams about a giant ancient mill building with a leaking roof, like cataracts of water down the stairs, and the windshield on my ban peeling off because it was made of very still plastic instead of glass. I was driving around in a bombed out city with intersections like Worcester's and trying to find a place to stop to try to fix it (because it was raining - duh - which is why the roof was leaking) when Al woke me up to take me out to lunch.

need some way to organize info on horse and set up dates I won't miss, like teeth and next farrier

I love my horse, but he is kind of aloof - hard to catch in the field, not terribly interested in what I am doing, constantly staring nobly off over my shoulder at some distant horizon. It might get better as he gets to know me, but it looks a lot like just who he is.

In a very sweet piece of synchronicity, the horse I am leasing will be moved to the barn of my and his owner's choice tomorrow, on my birthday.

I have been OK'd by the owner, the place to put him has been OK'd by the owner, I have spoken to the wingnut (and her personal drama is waaaay worse than I thought; not only has she twins, now in the NICU having been born on Thursday, she is on antidepressants for post-natal depression, she is a single parent and the current boyfriend is not the dad) and things will now start to be simpler.

Still - a pony for my birthday. Sweet!

in a kindness from the universe, the Check Engine light went out on the car, so I got it inspected without having to buy a new catalytic converter - thank you, Universe

Sorry to whine about equine drama. It is the barn, not me, and I am in the process of fixing it, and all the rest of my horse caring year will be drama free. Except for forgetting key portions of dressage tests.

Today I rode Bully, and went into the woods, and we had a nice walk. He really needs shoes. That is the next step.

Still get to go to Parent Night and meet the teachers. Alice speaks well of them, so I am generally encouraged.

so, ah - I have to learn some new dressage tests.

like First level tests 1, 2, and 3

because I just pushed the button on leasing the ancient horse who knows such things

and the theory is, that he'll teach me.

Or not.

Anyhow - one step closer to a life's goal 


Hey! I need a new icon for him! I'll try to accomplish that sometime soon....