Shiny New

It's that time of year again.

Christmas. 

I like to pretend I'm not a wanty human and reject the notion of the over stigmatized holiday, but let's be real. I like stuff. And things.

 And after all the bills every month have no extra funds left over for fun things. And it seems like everyone else in blogland is getting news things, like saddles and bridles and horses and I'm over here like, "hi. I've had the same tack since I was 11 years old basically."

This year, I have been silently stalking new technologies in addition to normal things like new breeches, helmet and boots. Things I desperately and ACTUALLY need. My boots are on their last leg, and my helmet is about 6 months past the expiration date. I've also taken 3 tumbles with that helmet. Almost useless. I also really could use a new saddle, but that got shoved aside for grad school. Tragically, since I've literally never had the luxury of a saddle that truly fits me. 

However, I can still dream right?

That being said, of course I'm mercilessly window shopping for all the things I cant have and want.

The Bua saddles caught my eye when they first came out. Like most things I stumble upon, it was found on Facebook through a linked article. 

what is this beautiful thing

Looks mighty cool right? 

Then at second glance, you might be like "what am I actually looking at?"

No but really, whats going on here?

Whatever it is, I like it

It is a truly odd invention, but something I could see myself using and benefitting from. 

In case you haven't had the chance to read about it, click here. 

An eventers dream, IMO. Who wouldn't want to use one saddle for all three phases? Granted, I'm wondering how easy interchanging flaps will be, but preliminary reviews I found online states it was relatively easy. 

Personally, I find the saddle attractive in a "it's so ugly it's gorgeous" way. Unique is a great word to describe it. But COLORS. I know some of you are all about color, and I am very into that orange. 

The price too, seemed reasonable, to me, in the terms of fancy new things.. For all the high class saddles available for equestrians bank accounts to cry over, the Bua is relatively 'not horrible'. One CWD can cost more than $1000 more and can "only" be used for one discipline. I'm not a fan of riding dressage in a jump saddle, and will always favor a dressage saddle for dressage work. But that's just me. The Bua can be used for both though!

I am really curious to see the reviews once the saddle gets "out there" and is marketed a little better. For now it's stuck in IRE with limited availability to order from the USA. I'm kind of wanting to get myself on the list. 

Second really neat cool thing I stumbled on is this 

The marketing specifically states "it's not a Fitbit for horses", but really? It tracks heartrate, the amount of times they lay down, sleep, etc....it's a Fitbit for horses.

And I need one. 

Obviously. 

All the initial comments on Facebook are of course attacking the notion of leaving a halter on 24-7. Um. It's leather. And breakaway.  That's a whole mess safer than regular cribbing collars or nylon haters. 

Hell, I kept B in an old leather halter 24/7/365 because he was impossible to catch at first. He survived just fine. 

Also, engraved plates come with it. A tack whores dream. Shiny, and useful! 

They look really smart and I would have no qualms keeping the collar on my precious all the time. 

Also because I'm a nerd, is really intriguing to think about the technology that goes into this type of invention. And I want it. 

Despite seeming a little on the excessive side, horses (and their people) could really benefit from this. More so on the "keeping people sane" side, but nevertheless, a really handy tool.

Auto alerts to your phone, which if you're like me, have on oneself at all times. Especially since the nugget is no longer at my home, 3 seconds from my door, I would find peace in this device. Even more so, for trailering! If you've followed us, you know our issues with the metal horse shredder.  It sounds really silly when I'm typing it out in a blog post...I just want one, OK?

I'm extremely curious to see how much they'll be asking for it, once it releases next year. I feel like they're currently marketing towards the ULR's who travel a ton, and not the lowly plebes like my self. Betting it'll be like $600 and then a $20/month sort of deal to monitor it. Which is insane. If its like $200 and still has a monthly fee I miiiight consider it. Still really cool to think about.

What cool gadgets have you all come across recently that you're dying to get?

Inner Turmoil

I'm sure there's this point in our riding careers where we deeply contemplate putting things on hold.

I'm sure.

But it is really hard for me to even consider to consider the idea.

I just want to do all the things, okay? GOSH why can't everything else just work around that...

HAHA.

For those that are not as up to date in my personal life, I have been noodling the idea to do the grad school thing, for oh, four years now (since I graduated from undergrad), just never really made the final commitment and push to do so.

Thinking logically, I really didn't know what I wanted to get a masters degree in anyways. Pointless to wander around in grad school land with no real direction. Hell, thats what undergrad was for. Thinking monetarily, I couldn't afford to do it at all, even with loans. I still barely can, but adulting.

Now, I have both secured away & I finally sacked up and applied.

My job will pay for approximately 28% of the total cost, and loans will take care of the rest. I also decided on a DUAL masters, because I apparently a masochist and want to make myself cry and lose sleep for two years.

But, in two years time, IF I make it into the program, I will have a shiny *new* piece of paper that I can show everyone and be like, "Look, I did a thing. And I have another piece of paper to show for it"

Just kidding.

But really... MHA/MBA sounds impressive, but all I am really going for is a salary booster and bragging rights, lets be real. Plus my dad has doctorate just for funsies and my mother two masters, so I have to keep up tradition.

In all seriousness though, getting a masters has been a hope and dream of mine since I was a little girl and I am excited/sick to my stomach over the fact that I actually began the process.

Not sure where it will fit in, but I guess I am about to lose a lot of sleep.

I've decided that I need to be more like my mom and channel my inner superwoman and just do it. Its possible to gym, work full time, school and ride. She did all those things, just substitute riding with raising two kids. She turned out fine. Its fiiiiine.

Selling Bacardi to help pay for school flitted across my mind, but really, I don't know if I could now.

We've bonded so much in the last 4 months and I'm really starting to feel a true partnership and to cut that short would kill me.

Plus lets be real, no matter how much we hate them sometimes, or have a bad ride, or bitch about how much they cost, horses mean the world to us. At least they do for me.

I cannot fathom a world where I didn't own a horse. I think about how stressed, tired and over life I will be while pursuing this degree and know that even though I won't have everyday free to ride, just knowing I have that escape will keep me sane. Nothing is better for the soul than the barn. I try to imagine a world where I can't just decide to go feed my horse carrots and listen to the ponies eat. I cant imagine not being able to feel the surge of a powerful creature beneath me. I would hate to not worry about writing that board payment every month, grumbling at the fact that its half a paycheck, because I know that would mean I dont have a horse, waiting with pricked ears, looking for cookies.  Can't even think about how painful it would be to see my boots sitting in the garage, unused. I can't bear to fathom a world where I wasn't frozen to the core while treating a sick horse, or sweating through a tough dressage lesson. I just can't.

Its really eating me up inside, knowing the SMARTER decision would be to take a break, sell all the things, pocket the money and catch up later in life.

But I can't, I has the feels.

I has the feels for a horse.

Time Flies

Quick little update because I'm convinced I'm dying and my shoulder is actually going to fall off of my body. 

Facebook was so kind to remind me that Yankee has been gone exactly one year today. 

It actually seems like much longer than that, and it's interesting to reflect on the last year and what all has changed and occurred. If I had more patience and time I would actually post about it, but alas. 

On this day last year I tacked my boy up for our last ride. I didn't know how long it would be before I would sit on his back again, & I knew it wouldn't be forever, but I wanted one more memory. 

This guy was my rock and my angel for ten years. I'm so very happy he had the experiences he did in the last year, and I'm looking forward to his next adventures as well. 

Feeling a little nostalgic today though, thinking back over the last TEN years with him. 

Gosh, time does really fly.