And Just Like That, It Was Gone

OK. I am going to pee my breeches if I don't let the cat out of the bag.

Its really not that exciting to you normal show people, but...*drumroll* I entered Bacardi in his FIRST USEA event ever. EVER.

WOW that only took two years!

The funniest thing about his debut is that I'm not even riding. My trainer is riding him.

Like some insane fitness freak I signed up for a Tough Mudder and it just so happens to be on the same weekend as the cheapest show of the year...and by the time I figured that out, sucked it up and entered B I had paid for the Mudder months before already. If you've never done a Mudder its essentially paying $180 to run 10 miles though mud and cause yourself horrible pain.

I'm insane.

But we knew that.

So anyways, its settled. Hopefully official, but I had issues with Xentry and assigning my trainer as the rider so I had to send it snail mail 4 days before close. *fingers crossed* ((I am actually happy that someone who does this as like, their job, will make his debut with him. A confident, unattached pilot I hope will make his first experience positive, and thats all I want.))

This brings me to my next point.

We recently got our yearly bonuses...

At first I was like...

...and despite the FIVE hundred dollars in taxes, I still had a large chunk to disperse among things. Most went to medical bills, but the rest has disappeared already. Like literally in 6 days.

Culprit: horses.

Damn them!

Grumpy pony

Yankee currently is eating dollar bills so theres that, but Bacardi also recently had what was supposed to just be a health certificate appointment end up being much more than that.

...and then I was like

EME had the vet come out and do all the spring things horses get. Luckily B had his shots last month and his Coggins drawn earlier so I just needed a health cert for the show.

Just a a quick exam and out.

So as my darling vet is taking his temp and listening to his heart, he looks up and goes, "he has left ventricle sideways heart anatomy arrhythmia asthma" and I was like "what the fuck did you just say?"

Ok so he didn't say that, but thats what I heard and my heart dropped and I was like, no, do not say these words to me, I cannot deal with this shit right now. what does this mean. What is happening. Why are all my horses broken

So I calmly say "um, wut"

He then goes, "OH I'M SORRY ( I had just filled him in on Yankee), I didn't mean to scare you. Just means his heartbeat is a little fast and irregular. Happens with racehorses a lot, fit horses, athletes, does he ever tire out?"

And I was like, "no"

So then he explained things and I heard words and barely recovered from that.

After that heart attack, the exam continued and he found some sharp edges on B's teeth and said "Well, we could do it now or wait"

And aside from giggling like a ten year old boy, I said "please tell me what to do, I literally cannot make decisions right now because you've scarred me and its not like I'm not used to throwing money at my horses, so what do I do please"

"I advise we do his teeth now before it becomes a problem"

So we floated the teeths.

And then somehow  while B was drugged and getting floated, we got on the topic of microchips and I was like, "oh yeah I wanted to do that for B since I have one for Yankee, and I know they're not necessary but like, peace of mind. Next time you come out can you remember to bring one? You know, like among the million things vets remember on a daily basis."

And just like that, he pulls out the biggest needle I've ever laid eyes on, like he was ready or some shit, and gave me the questioning look and I was like "why not".

So now B has a chip.

And then he was like, "while he's out want me to clean his sheath?"

I paused, thinking about how much vets might charge for sheath cleaning, but then realized he never lets me do it outside sedatives so I was like "why not".

And thats the tale of how I spent $400 on a $45 health certificate.

Its ok though, I feel better and Bacardi is all spiffy and shiny and ready for his FIRST show.

MAY 7th everyone!

Brick by Brick, My Citizens

I can't believe it's been a whole week since I posted last, whoops. 

Per usual, a shitload has gone down in the last week, and until it's super official, mums the word. But it's exciting and positive. That left little time for blogging though. 

Never fear, I did actually ride a little.  Twice in fact. And squeezed in quick groundwork sessions on the lunge with B. 

He had approximately 2 unplanned weeks off due to my personal life, sleep schedule and a missing RF shoe, but if anything it did him good. He bounced back beautifully and is calmer than ever. I am so proud of my red horse!

Not my red beast, but a cute pic of Levi being confused over the freak snow in April

Sidenote, I wrote up a super long, depressing post about unfinished goals and failures and bullshit, but it accidentally got deleted and I think it was for the best. Super flashback to my darker college years, and it was a minor lapse in mental judgement due to severe lack of sleep.

Moving on. 

Yankee is doing wonderfully. I am slightly dying, freaking out about him and micromanaging his every move, but he's doing well. Better than I expected for a horse recovering from major major surgery. 

Normally, the incision from colic surgery is like a foot long? I think. Well, his was massive. Like incredibly large. And it took ages to heal. He still has a few spots where it's draining, therefore I have heart palpitations when he plays around like a goon every AM when I let him out...

Yankee WYD

But he's healing quickly. Mostly he's a grumpy asshole. I would be too if I was excluded from all the fun and kept to a small paddock with only dumb hay to keep me occupied.

He's taken to staring longingly at the pasture and ignoring his hay, so Bragg ends up eating it all everyday. Not only is this making me incredibly anxious, but Bragg is now the size of a blimp. If I turn him out in the pasture without Yankee, it's like their lives are over, so I keep them together for now so healing horse doesn't hurt himself.

When I have time, I graze Yankee as such with Bragg loose, but most times I toss Yankee out in my redneck pen while I do chores or hang out at home. 

Don't judge me and my redneck ways

Another thing Yankee is not doing well is eating fast. Its seriously killing my vibe. I have to wait around ages to turn him out so Bragg won't steal his food and I'm like c'mon man. You never realize how much you appreciate horses that clean up quick until you have one that doesn't. He used to, so of course, this causes me to panic almost daily, but he eventually licks his pan clean. I don't blame him, he's eating the equivalent of a giant human salad and I know I can't stand healthy food & it sucks. Its like me being forced to eat tofu to gain weight, um NO THANK YOU.. He is getting a fuckload of it too; low starch, high protein grains with empower boost for the fats. Plus his MSM and probiotics. Poor dude spends half his life eating now. Additionally, he has about half a bale of hay a night in his stall, which he never finishes, but he's gaining weight like a champ. 

Top photo is 2 weeks post-op, right off the trailer at the recovery farm. Bottom photo was his past weekend, about 6 weeks difference. His topline is still dismal, but his ribs, shoulder & neck look better, stomach is filling out and the swelling has gone down. Also his coat looks so. much. better. 

want the grass, give me grass

I can't wait until his coat is completely shed out! He gets to go out on pasture April 20th & May 20th he's allowed to be ridden again, slow build to jumping 30 days after. CANT WAIT.

Although he be but little, he is fierce!