So, I just recently got back online. We had to go several months without
internet because, well plain and simple, money got tight and luxuries
had to be cut out. But I'm back and I thought I'd update with some GREAT
news!
Back in November Ace and I moved to a new barn. The old barn was like
home away from home because it was where I took lessons growing up and I
did an internship there through high school. They have an indoor ring,
outdoor ring, cross country course and trails. They even hold shows right there on the farm. Sounds great, right?
Problem was I couldn't afford the fuel to get there very often and was
not able to take advantage of all the great things they had to offer.
Board was expensive and worst of all, Ace was falling apart. His feet,
which have always been amazing, looked horrible. He lost a bunch of
weight due to other horses chasing him away from grain and hay. I was
spending money on supplements that he never got. Oh yeah, and they're
deworming program is a joke.
Hubby and I moved to a new house in October. Cheaper rent, nicer
location. I started looking for boarding facilities nearby and found one
less than a mile up the road. It's cheaper, smaller and the care is
AMAZING! The woman who runs the place is awesome!
Ace is back on his supplements as well as a good deworming schedule. He
shares a paddock with one other horse and goes out in a field with no
more than 4 others horses (instead of 50...not kidding). I was able to
put him back on the grain I prefer (Triple Crown Complete) as well as
pelleted rice bran and he gets ALL of it, EVERY time. The water trough
is kept super clean and has a heater to keep from freezing. She goes out
weekly (weather permitting) and clears the poo out of the paddocks and
levels the ground back out with the tractor bucket to keep the footing
safe. There's one other boarder, an older man with a 30-something year
old mare. There's a woman who rents the apartment and half the barn, but
her horses stay separate from the others. She cares for her own horses
and pretty much keeps to herself. It's so quiet there! There isn't any
kind of ring, just a round pen and fields. There are plenty of trails
though and a country road that is quiet enough to ride on.
It's amazing how much Ace has improved, physically and mentally since he
moved there! We're still battling rain rot, but slowly winning. He's
gaining weight at a safe, reasonable rate and he's got a lot more life
in his eyes. He's standing up for himself finally and getting all the
hay he needs/wants. His feet look a lot better too!
It's been wonderful having him so close to home! I pass the farm every
day on my way to and from work, so it's been really convenient to stop
in and change his blanket when necessary and of course spoil him rotten. Since I don't have a trailer, we've given up any chance at showing, at least for a while. I'm a little sad about that, but not heart-broken. We were only doing schooling shows anyways.
I'm finally able to spend time with my horse again and that's what really matters! It's great that
fuel is no longer an issue, heck I can walk there! So that's my update.
Hope I didn't bore you. I'm just so happy that I felt the need to share
my wonderful news!
