Monday, August 31, 2015

That Escalated Quickly


Actual, possible earth shattering news ahead.


So you know how you like, casually make plans in your head and maybe casually mention it to a person or two...and they take it and run a marathon with it?

WELL.

I somehow ended up unofficially officially selling Lilly and finding a spot at a boarding barn, all within the last 24 hours.


YEAH.

So I had mentioned as a sidenote to my trainer that I was noodling downsizing my herd.

I wanted to eventually sell my dear Lilly (serious tears) and then move B to her barn, if possible.

She then messages me and is like "well I have a spot, you can move in tomorrow" and I'm like, "um wat. Please repeat, did you say tomorrow?" Thats like, 7 hours away!

Do you accept limbs as payment?

So of course I accept because how often does that happen? You want a spot and one just magically opens?

One, this would "somewhat" cut down my expenses. I half heartedly did the math in my head and it doesn't quite balance out.

BUT.

When you think about all the time I spend doing stalls, feeding, running home to feed and do stalls then rush off elsewhere (because those damn horses apparently have to eat twice a day), holding for vet and farrier, changing blankets, doing stalls, getting bedding for stalls, getting hay, paying for bedding and hay, buying and obtaining grain, fixing fence, mowing, spraying weeds, scrubbing buckets, filling buckets, chopping ice on buckets, sweeping, doing stalls and then maybe possibly, might having time to ride.

Yeah.

Worth every penny to me.

No one knows true anxiety until they have horses at home. I literally cannot go ANYWHERE (let me repeat, anywhere-not even a dinner out) without thinking of the horses first, and who will feed them, and omg I feel guilty for leaving and do I trust said person to turn them out and ohmygodicant. I don't even know what its like not care for my own horses. Even when I did "board" it was self care and I still fed twice a day and did my own stall/paid for supplies. I honestly will not miss it. I trust my trainer and I will FULLY relinquish responsibility in lieu of writing a check every month,

Two, I would get to ride (as noted previously). Actually ride. All fucking winter long. Because INDOOR ARENA. Whenever the fuck I want. 10PM? Cool. 6AM? Nice. Long lunchbreak? Have at it. AND JUST RIDE. Thats it. Groom my baby, tack up, ride, tend to horse, leave. Thats it.



Three, I wouldn't have to so stalls. Did I mention how much time it takes to do stalls? Even JUST two?

So I am completely justifying this outrageous new payment my life, for freeing up my time to do normal people things. Like laundry. And balance my checkbook. And make my bed. And not crash into bed every night, dead. And not spend half my time worrying about where I will get hay from and when I can squeeze in a stop at the feed store. And maybe, actually be able to go back to school, or see my friends or have a life in general.

Plus my trainers barn is swanky as fuck and B will be living the life of luxury. He will feel like a KING.

When I show up to ride he's gonna be like,


I'll have to remind him who is footing the bill.

It almost makes me feel more like an adult, sending the child off, and then I remember adulting is just a constant stream of writing checks.


Really though, this is huge for us. I am hoping he will progress much quicker with more work (le duh) and NOT spend the whole winter miserable and unworked.

Selling Lilly sucks, but its life. Horses come and go, unfortunately. I took a hard look at my finances vs my time and decided this lovely animal is better suited in a home that might actually use her more often and for a better purpose than to cart my boyfriend or dad around. And a very capable and worthy buyer just happened along, just at the right time.

Though she does a damn good job
It will suck and I will miss her, but it seemed fiscally responsible right now. Three horses? Insert crying laughing emoji. I just can't keep every horse I own, and its stilly to think thats possible at 24.. Unless your name is Yankee Wonder. That horse will be with me until I die.

Anyways, that my news. Coupe of months earlier than I planned, but hey, still awesome.




12 comments:

  1. Whoa, I feel like I just got hit by a tidal wave! All the things! I think this is a damn good plan. I will miss Lily face though.

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  2. So much awesome in this post! Except for the selling of Lilly, but the rest is awesome. I am about to be a boarder again after having the horses home for 5 years. Yeah, kinda looking forward to it.

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  3. Such news! Wow! That's great about the boarding barn! Bummer about lily, but gotta do what you gotta do and it sounds like you found her a good home :)

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  4. This is such a cool opportunity and I am glad to hear you are jumping at the chance. Sometimes the universe has a way of showing you things just when you need them. I'm so curious to see how Bacardi does over winter now that you'll actually be able to ride him the whole time! Can't wait!

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  5. bittersweet with seeing Lily go, but really everything about this plan makes so much sense. i hope you had B LOVE the new barn!!!!

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  6. Wow! Big changes. Sometimes when things are meant to happen that's how it goes :)

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  7. Hell yeah!! After keeping my horse at home for a couple years, never again. I'm all for paying someone else if at all possible--especially in the winter.

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  8. Congrats. This is excellent news. There are many days where I wish I could throw in the towel and join a proper training barn. I just cannot afford it (full care barns without training start at $700 a month), but I wish I could. Good luck at the new barn.

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    1. Holy moly and I thought board was high here 😳

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  9. Yay!! I'm so excited you get to board B!!!!!! So sad about selling Lily, but I'm glad she's going to a good home. I've never boarded either (not even self board), but I did work at a boarding barn so I know how nice it is for people who work all the time. Not having to sink all of that time in horse care gives you so much more time to actually enjoy your investment (ride). I'm so happy for you. Heck just not having the stress of finding hay before winter makes it worth it haha!

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  10. I know it will be hard to say goodbye to Lilly, but BOARDING. It's awesome.

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