Clock is ticking update

Oh lordy this is simultaneously frightening and exciting.  I am ready to move emotionally, which is good, but there is a lot going on.  It also makes for some really scattered posts lol.  Last weekend we randomly (who randomly does crap like this?) bought an enclosed car trailer for SO to replace the flat trailer.  Like, made the decision and 12 hours later had it hooked up to the truck.  The house closing better go through at this point, that is all I can say!   This trailer has been being talked about for over a year and buying the hosue we did kind of solidified the need for it because SO doesn't have enough garage space for cars plus race cars.  This technically gives him an extra garage spot but the reason we bought it now was to save on the Uhaul rental.  That was coming in at $800 one way and we needed to make 2 trips.  Yikes.  Add in the money we are getting from selling the 16ft flat trailer, it is almost a wash.  Almost lol.

So last weekend we moved a load of stuff to PA and we moved half of everything left here in Michigan to PA.  Crazy!  The place is SO empty now and I have a month left.  The trip went well enough.  I mean...  sure Danica bit me on the cheek because she doesn't like my singing (no, seriously.  Not even joking) and then tried to bite me 2 more times because apparently I wasn't understanding the amount of her displeasure.  Then I fell while having our propane filled and sprained my wrist.  And then about 15 gallons of Super went on the ground because the pump shut off and I wasn't standing at the nozzle at the time.  And don't forget that the 10 hour drive out there turned into 13 because SO likes to stop WAY more than I do.  It was a very long weekend.

I did, however, finally pick a barn!!!!  I had 6 barns on my list that had an indoor.  The closest one was immediately crossed off due to cost, no way can I pay more in board than I do my mortgage.  Sad too because it was less than 5 miles away, so so sad.  Even if I worked off board it wasn't affordable.  The next closest barn never, ever returned my calls so I cold called and just showed up.  And no one was there.  Either time I showed up.  The stalls looked okay and all of the horses were out, SO didn't like the vibe of the barn and said he didn't know why I would want to go somewhere that wouldn't even call me back after 2 weeks of trying.  How well would they treat the horses?  What if something happened and I needed to get a hold of them? Well, ok, point taken.

Barn 3 was about 30 mins away and while it is a nice barn and I got along really well with the owner/manager, I am not sure I would fit in.  They do a LOT of lessons and therapeutic riding.  It seemed as though most boarders were kids and I am just afraid I wouldn't fit in.  Disappointing for sure, I will keep it in my reserves in case.  Barn 4 was only 20 mins away but was a no immediately.  I have boarded in plenty of not great places but this one kinda took the cake.  Very run down metal gate fencing for turnouts, extremely small turnouts that were 100% poo/mud, extremely small stalls, very crowded with junk and chaotic, no thanks.  It was by far the cheapest and I could see why.  No thanks.  Barn 5 was very promising, they did some eventing but mostly jumpers now.  The 2 boarders I met were very nice and the manager was extremely nice however I got the impression I was WAY outclassed.  I feel if they weren't even trying and I felt very out of place, it would only get worse if someone didn't like me or I started to get judged for my Wintec.  I dunno, it was just a vibe I got.

Barn 6 was the furthest away at 45 mins and holy crap guys, the barn is amazeballs.  It has always been a running joke about our farm here in MI that we catered to the people who wanted the step between backyard where ever and chandeliers in the barn.  I am not joking, this place has fricken chandeliers in the aisle.  I mean, no crystal so more like hanging light fixtures but still.  OMG.  They even have pavers in the aisleway and electronic locks on the doors.  However.  The people seemed amazing.  The owner has had the place only 2 years and is doing a ton of improvements to the outside.  Redoing pasture fencing, installing auto-waterers, making bigger pastures, adding eventing jumps, etc.  She was very down to earth and I felt none of the stuffiness that I felt in barn 5.  The bad part is they have no stalls available but they do have pasture board and it is affordable.  So that is the route I am going to try.  They will have their own dry lot with Electrobraid fencing until a dedicated pasture is fixed, will have a round bale with a Bale Buddy in the run in and an auto waterer.  At least with that setup, they shouldn't die before I get moved out there, fingers crossed anyway.

Oh guys, I am so nervous about this but I think it will work out.  The barn doesn't have a resident trainer but has clinicians come in regularly to give lessons.  Get this, they have a saddle fitter that fits Olympian horses that comes regularly!  New saddle problem solved??  Oy!  Both SO and I think this barn will fit me best and provide me excellent opportunities to expand my network so we will see.  The horses move on March 25th, it is getting really real now!