First off, thanks everyone for all the wonderful comments and suggestions about Simon. After I wrote that post, things actually took a turn for the worse and he showed up lame with a fat leg. Naturally, I decided he blew his suspensory and called the vet… planning his retirement while I waited for a diagnosis. After two days of cold hosing + mud wrapping, the minor amount of swelling originally present went way down. Today the vet came out, and told…
Are you foolish enough to move your horse across the country to join you during grad school, a time that’s full of anxiety and oftentimes responsible for bringing out the worst of your personality? Then this post is for you! 1. Pick a state where it’s impossible to find a boarding situation similar to what he’s been used to for 11.5 years. Over ten hours of turnout? A predominant diet of grain? How about a life full of equine friends…
In other words, a barn tour. Simon has been a California resident for almost a month now. I’ve spent months worrying about how he would do here with the drastic life change, and he’s surpassed my expectations like he usually does! After searching several barns, I ended up at a workmanlike hunter/jumper facility that mostly shows on the local level. Though not fancy and over the top, it runs like a well oiled machine. There is a head trainer (more…
Six months ago blogger buddy Susan asked me if I wanted to go to the Breeder’s Cup. Despite not following horse racing at all, I enthusiastically agreed. Going would be part of my “Do all the things in California” plan, and I figured it was something to knock off the horsey bucket list. So yesterday I joined her and Carey, and we headed to the Del Mar Fairgrounds after the 4th race on the Breeder’s Cup card. If you think that sounds…
Hello undergraduate students of UCR! It’s me, that old person on campus who you tend to ask for directions because she appears to have been to college for a long time. Unfortunately, I’m just as clueless as you are when it comes to finding the rooms in the Humanities & Social Sciences building… but I do have a few tips for you in other areas. You see, because I am a mature student (read: old) and have successfully completed an undergraduate…
I still need to arrange shipping, but once I have that squared away we’re going to be on the official countdown until Simon gets here. Though I’ve been on extended breaks from horses before, this is the longest I’ve gone without riding or touching an equine while owning a horse. Even though I’ve never been the kind of person that feels compelled to go to the barn every day, this is far too long of a horsey break for me….
I’ve been a west coast resident for an entire month. So obviously, I’m tanner and I’m thinner than I was when I left Austin. That’s just what happens here. Something in the air. Don’t hate the beautiful people! Jokes aside, I am starting to get in a better place with my health. To help Pascale cope with losing her big backyard and barn time, I walk the dogs 2-3 miles a day. Plus the university’s baseball complex by my apartment…
The thing I am most proud of last week is that I didn’t cry in a golf cart while being shown a beautiful farm in San Jacinto. I waited until I got into my car, and then had my meltdown on the interstate driving home like a proper adult. I knew finding a farm near me in Southern California would be a challenge. Simon and I are both used to the wide open spaces of Texas. At his current barn,…