My big comeback into blogging obviously didn't happen. I have been hella busy with life, the day job, the side job, and the two hobbies that everything has become hyperfocused and blogging just...isn't along that line. So, a quick recap?
Mia:
Doing really good. We have been lucky in getting one lesson a month from M, who is now coming to do monthly clinics at our barn. Having this has skyrocketed our progress, faster than I ever thought possible. This happened despite often being away for 1-2 weeks at a time due to life/hobby stuffs. Mia has now developed a counter canter in both directions, can do a shoulder in in the canter both directions, some lateral work in the canter and we are now playing with medium trot and canter/walk transitions (walk/canter is already done). Also, after 5 years of ownership, Mia's crack on her right front due to her clubby foot has actually GROWN OUT! I am switched to a barefoot trimmer last July-ish and she has done amazing things with my horses feet, including making Mia's club tendency foot grow out to be normal which has let the crack grow out. Mia doesn't have a crack in her hooves anymore!!
App:
Also doing good. The barn has been letting him free range (at 25.5 years of age, he is FINALLY reliable enough to do this) during the day to keep his motion up. It is still a struggle to keep weight on him, but I think that is also due to some of the inconsistent husbandry (or lack thereof) I face for them, but overall he is doing well. Over the summer he had a very large grape sized lump in his armpit. The vet looked at it and said it was likely a sarcoid, but she didn't want to biopsy it bc of the location. It wasn't really attached to anything, it didn't seem to bother App, so it was wait and see. Imagine my surprise when it completely went away, completely. It was the size of a VERY LARGE GRAPE and it shrunk to nothing. *shrug* who knows?
Barn:
I have continued issues with the barn. With inconsistent care, issues with one of the barn owners, issues with the lack of hay given by the weekend worker, and other stuff, I was putting up with it because I know how difficult finding good barns can be and I was told this is the best barn in the area. The issue is that it is a 32 mile, one way drive for me. A good 45 min drive, one way, to see the horses. When the barn owner (that I have issues with) told me they were increasing board $50 a horse, that was the last straw. I started looking and have found another barn that is only 7 miles from my house. It is a very large barn that is now very small, it used to be a large show barn but they have cut way back due to time restraints. They now only have apx 9 boarders and 14-ish horses out of a 40 horse capacity barn. They currently use the "old" barn where the indoor arena is and the "new" barn is used for other things. Apparently they have very few openings, the one boarder has been there for 14 years, and I have heard from 2 other barns I had called about that this is a fabulous barn. Fingers crossed we will be moving in February, we have to wait for someone to move their 3 horses to NC before they will have room for us. It feels like it will work out, I am really hoping it works out. I can't justify driving 32 miles AND a $100 board increase. I pay WAY too much money for the kind of care I am currently getting at my current barn.
Other:
I am leaving for a vacation to California this weekend, I am going to stuff myself full of some sun, some sand and some more sun. I don't care it will only be in the 60's, it won't be the 20's like it is here. I have already scheduled out 7 of the 12 months next year to go somewhere and do things. 2019 is going to involve a LOT of traveling! I am hopeful I will continue blogging, as it is nice being able to remember what happened in a "diary", it is just difficult to find the time with my day job and side job.
How is everyone else doing, did you miss me?
