Horse Bloggers: The forum

I recently started planning and putting into action a proper forum for the google group Horse Bloggers. For now, the google group's owner and myself are the administrators, since there aren't a lot of members yet.



I'm asking all my readers with blogs to make a mention of this if you get the chance! I think it will be an awesome community now that we have a good forum. Google groups 'forum' is run by e-mail as well as the place for topics they have (which unfortunately does not have specific boards and categories). Because someone could send an e-mail to 'horsebloggers@googlegroups.com' and get all 100 or so of us members, spammers kind of got onto us lately. Yikes.

Which is partly why I was so keen to set up this forum, so avoid spammers like that. And of course be able to ban any trolls that come along.

Anyway, any mention you guys can make would be wonderful and we would appreciate it! And we hope you will join the forum and try to help us take off! :)

Hmm...lame again?

So unfortunately Amber was lame, yet again, today, and I was very disappointed...

This time, it was distinctly in the left front, and I could feel it, see it, and had another rider watch to see if she saw it from a ground perspective (well, she was mounted, but you get the idea - as in a not riding perspective). Amber seemed to be pretty irritated as well, and it was obvious something was up. I checked her her foot, her leg, but no heat or swelling. Baffling...

Either way, this is really starting to turn me off buying her. She's an awesome little mare, but I just don't want to buy anything with lameness issues. And these keep cropping up...I mean, if I could have a vet tell me with certainty that it was a fluke, that it was maybe the cold weather, or her cycles changing for the winter, even her feet being tender from the removal of her shoes a couple of months ago.

It's just starting to seem so iffy. I can't let my head get away with me. I need a horse that is 100% sound, 100% healthy, that's fairly consistent. I'm not rich, and I have only time to devote to one horse (or at least, doing things the right way). So I need something I can count on. Jack and Gulliver could have been mine, but I did not buy either because of that - and you all know how much I love those horses. Wonder, talented horses, that unfortunately just would not work out for me as a purchase. And if Amber turns out the same way...well, that'll have to be that.

Excited to go check out Rosshead sales in a couple of weeks though...who knows, I might fall in love then and there! Well, probably not, but every horse I look at and try out helps me form an even more concrete idea of what I do and don't want, so I'm definitely excited for that!

Amber got a little bute to help her out tonight. Thankfully, Casey isn't the kind of person who tries to use bute to mask a problem though. I'm kind of hoping she'll have the vet out soon to investigate this. It's so off and on though, and it's never dead hopping lame...it's just a tender/sore thing and she seems aggravated. Still, I would really love to know what's behind all this, because I really think I'm going to put Amber on the back burner until we find out. Can't risk it.

I've got it figured out.

Yep. I spent all morning cleaning stalls for Christy. She was down at the far barn fixing it up so that it will be suitable for some boarders that she's getting.

While having my alone time (or as alone as I could get, her horses are 'lap' horses if you catch my drift), I tried to put myself in the scenario, which could possibly be real very soon, that I had to break the news to Casey that I was leaving.

I don't like to lie, and more often than not the truth DOES come out. Honesty is always the best policy. I thought to myself, *if* I do end up accepting my friend's offer, which is incredibly tempting, how to I tell Casey the truth without seeming like I came to uplift a school horse off her and run? Obviously, that was not at all my intention, and the farthest thing from my mind.

So I have decided that should it come to be that I move to the new barn, I will simply catch Casey when we have a private moment, and tell her that an old friend of mine has invited me to be a part of her barn's show team for 2011, and I have thought it over and accepted the offer, and that I hope it will not cause any hard feelings but I and (insert horse name here) will be moving over there.

I have decided it isn't going to be dishonest of me not to say anything right now, because nothing is for certain now and there is no reason to start up about it. I mean, nobody benefits from it. Even if, say, things got ugly when I mentioned it, I could just go over to my friend's barn immediately and have her help me with my horse search, simple as that. I just don't want that unnecessary drama right now, although I don't think she would be like that...it's hard to explain. Basically, I don't want to go tell the farmer how many chickens I've got before they hatch. (You guys know you loved that analogy!) You know? I mean, it's way early - who knows for sure if I will buy Amber, anyway? The conversation will be 10x less awkward if I don't (but I have decided to not let that stop me if I feel she is the right choice for me).

And I WON'T know anything until I buy the horse. In fact, if it's Amber, I won't be saying anything until Casey replaces her as a school horse. She needs one by the spring, so I could definitely be relieved of that obligation by then. I would NOT say anything to her before that point, because I would not want her to feel pressured to replace Amber so I could leave. If not Amber though, I'd probably leave sooner.

I'm thinking I'll stay through January at least, I am positive I'll have made my choice by then. Move over in February if it's NOT Amber - if it is - then I'll probably end up moving in March, although it may be February depending on how quickly Casey finds her school horse. The only thing I'd hate to if it's NOT Amber is bounce the poor thing around from barn to barn with a new owner in such close time frames.

Of course, it would be one move with Amber, and we would already know one another. See why I'm SO keen on her? No, she's not glamorous. She is very homely, actually. Roman nosed, short-backed, upside down neck (although not conformational, improper muscle development), and somewhat short legs...BUT. I think that could improve with more muscle development, and you can't ride pretty. She's a sweet natured, down to earth horse. She's got plenty of trail experience. She shows potential as a dressage horse/hunter. And I have the opportunity to ride her more than just once or twice, and have the opportunity to experience the best and worst of her (and the worst...really isn't too bad I don't think. She's been in heat and I can barely tell, until I put her out with the other mares!).

That's why - there are so many bonuses to her - including the fact that all my tack fits her! And we get along so well. I've never liked a horse this fast before. I'm a picky rider, and usually I am critical and take a while to adjust. I've been quite fond of her from day one. So all those bonuses, and we have good chemistry? Well, it would be hard for ANYONE to not be partial to her.

Prepare, prepare, prepare...

I swear, I must be destined to buy a mare this time. All the horses I have looked at have been mares so far, Amber my "top pick" (for now at least), is a mare...and I accidentally typed "prepare, prepare, preMARE" as the title just now. It's an omen!



...anyway. You all should know by now I like to plan well ahead of anything I do. Especially financially. Even purchasing a horse has been being mulled over and planned for quite some time - even while I was still leasing Jack. For my longer-time readers, you may remember some of the blogs I wrote about the future. And, wisely, I did predict that I would not be with Jack for very long. Although I certainly did not foresee things ending the way they did...

Anyhow, to the point here, this isn't that far away. Once I get the new job finalized, making SURE I have it before I jump the gun, more serious horse shopping will resume. I may find it in a week, I may end up being closer to Christmas (or even after!), but after I do get my beast, I will have to pick up some things...things that I cannot know how to purchase until I get the horse. Like a blanket, for instance, or a halter name tag.

So I have been making a list of things I will need to grab after the fact. I actually ended up making two lists. Obviously, I won't need a fly mask during the winter. My lists ended up being one of things that will be needed immediately, such as a waterproof turnout blanket, a tube of wormer for our first rotation (I like Safe-Guard's rotation plan, and intend to put the horse on that), and a name tag for the "public" halter. There are a few other things on my list as well...all in all, it makes it easier on my wallet. It definitely feels better to spend $150 at a time than put out $450 in one sitting.

Still thinking about moving to Avalon Equestrian. I cannot think of a single pitfall, except maybe less elaborate facilities. I think if I bought a horse outside Goldsboro Equestrian, it would make it easier to say "Hey, I'll be moving over here next month...". Rather than snag a schoolhorse off them and say "BYE!"

I thought about that hard today...which was kind of putting me off buying Amber, because I don't want to feel pressured to stay so as to not seem rude. Or at least, stay longer than a month. But then again, if she is the perfect horse for me, isn't having a compatible mount worth more than keeping up appearances? It certainly is to me. I just don't want to burn any bridges or hurt anyone's feelings. I feel like buying her, then moving her would open up a whole can of worms. I already feel like buying her will start some barn drama. The girl who "leases" her I can tell pretty much feels right next to ownership over Amber, even though Casey doesn't consider it much of anything more than setting it up so the girl could go trail riding with the other students who have their own horses. And, while that may be true, a lease is a lease, and I know what it feels like to have one sold out from under me.

BUT, on the other hand, Amber has only been there 2 months, so this girl has probably been leasing her for about a month to a month and a half. I put a year and a half into Jack, and it was also a paid lease, and I was showing. This girl works it off - doesn't show to my knowledge - and does not exclusively ride Amber. So while I know the feeling of getting something sold from under you, it's not the same...I had so much more invested in Jack. Her mother, I have heard, also won't let her come out to the barn very often. From my POV on it right now, it doesn't sound like something serious nor that would go very far anyway. I have interest in putting more training on her, and getting her out to the shows.

I have 1-2 months to think it over, but at the same time, January/February will be here before we know it. It's an excellent opportunity, and it's extremely cost-efficient. The feelings of others is always a concern to me though...I just don't want to be stupid, say something too soon, and screw myself over.

Lots of stuff to talk about!

First of all, I just booked a couple of pet sitting jobs (yay for holidays!), which means I can get some goodies for myself. I've looked at my finances and I can afford these things with plenty of room to spare for savings! Hooray!

First off, I have sold almost all of the tack I had for sale. All that is left is a loose ring snaffle, the burgundy halter and the back wrap. I might end up keeping the burgundy halter as a 'public' halter for my future horse. It seems that halters really take a beating at most boarding barns...I would like to have a nylon halter for every day use so that I can keep my nice new leather halter (did I mention this?) in good shape. But at the same time, just because it's an every day halter, I don't want it to end up looking like crap, and potentially broken. I plan on buying one of these pretty Weaver halters. The burgundy halter is a cheapy, so I could buy a cheapy lead and let that be the thing to get tossed around!

The weaver halter in the lavender color is one item I am buying. A few general things...a loose ring french link snaffle. Sweet iron. I may as well get it because no matter what horse I get, I want to try that bit first. I like french links, and I like loose rings even more. Sweet iron is also something I like, so obviously that bit is something I favor because for the 'average' horse, it should be quite agreeable. Every horse is different though, I bear in mind, but I'd rather start with my favorite and see if it works out before I play musical bits! I'm getting some Cowboy Magic conditioner. A new lunge without the chain, this time in purple. I am replacing that not only because of the color, but because the chain on my old one weighed the line down and almost causing Jack to trip at times! I should have thought about it, but I didn't, and that line was actually cheaper at the time. And I do not like to actually put the chain on a horse. You know I am a less is more type of rider.

I'm also getting new brushes! Everything in purple this time. I plan on sanitizing my old brushes and donating them to the school equipment. I am also getting that nice grooming tote I have had my eye on for so long - in purple, of course. I am really starting to enjoy this whole monocolor thing. Purple is fairly common, and I like not having to think 'But what will I match it with?'.

I am also getting a light purple saddle pad, and polo wraps.




More news now, I was contacted by an old friend. She used to train at the barn I boarded Belle at when I was 13 or 14. I think I have spoken of her before - she is the person who essentially sparked my interest in dressage, even though I made no move to really get into it at that time.

She has a boarding barn now and runs a show team. It's only a few minutes from Goldsboro Equestrian is from me, and she has offered me a spot on her show team next spring! I must say I'm quite flattered to be asked. And I'm actually considering...

Board at her barn, including a stall, is $220. She uses straw bedding which helps her cut the costs, and allow her to offer the lower board. And I know that she is dependable and takes good care of the horses. I have to say it would certainly help me out cost wise. It's not as large as Goldsboro Equestrian, but it comes down to whether I am willing to put out more for bigger/better facilities. Not to mention, she has more dressage experience than Casey. This is not to say Casey is a bad trainer, she is simply more experienced in another discipline.

The problem is, I would feel a little wrong if I bought Amber, and this is all hypothetical, nothing is 100% certain yet, and then wisked her away. Sure, I'd have every right to if I purchased her, but at the same time I have given the impression I am there to stay, although I have not said so in any specific terms. Of course, she would remain there until Casey could replace her as a lesson horse.

It's all a lot to think about. Moving to the other barn after I purchase would, cost wise, and dressage wise, give me a big advantage. I think Casey would understand that, but I don't want to seem rude in any way.

But there is a lot of time to think about this! What do you guys think?

No, REALLY?

First off, I think I have a job! The Bojangles manager said if my background checks out, I have the job. EXCELLENT!

What's more excellent? How freaking sweet Amber is. I swear I love that mare. Today when I cleaned the free choice stalls attached to her pasture, she accompanied me to every single one and tried to help out. I really, really like how social she is with humans. She isn't disrespectful or pushy, she knows the human is alpha. But she is interested and likes human company.

She was a little sore on her feet today. We are pretty sure her feet are still tender from having her shoes pulled 2 months ago. She was shod all around, and lately it's been wet, so thus her feet are a bit soft. HOWEVER, our right lead canter was amazing today. Casey said it was perfect except I could have opened up my shoulder a little more. She also asked me to work Amber in a little dressage once a week while she's away for the baby's arrival. She wants Amber to have a break, but at least walk/trot to keep her supple and so she won't forget her job!

Now, the best news of all: Amber is a potential sale item. Casey said if I didn't find anything I liked better, she would sell her to me if she could use her for lessons until she could find a replacement. I'm excited...I really feel a 'connection' with the mare. Not in the way that some people say "Oooh, he's my SOUL MATE!!!"...not like a weird psychic connection or anything, I just feel like we have good chemistry. I do want to wait just to make sure there isn't anything I like better. I don't want to be impulsive. But Amber does meet all my criteria. She's 8 years old, great age. About 15hh. Nice and quiet, good mover, very smart. Nice manners. And she has potential as a lower level dressage horse and a hunter/jumper.

I was a little concerned about the fact that there is a girl leasing her, BUT, Casey said it's not really a lease, it's just worked that way because the girl wanted to trail ride, and the insurance doesn't cover that unless the individual is leasing, so Casey basically just made it so the rider could trail ride and she works off her 'lease'. And frankly, I would not mind if the girl wanted to ride Amber every now and again.

I guess we will see. I'm excited about all the new prospects on the horizon though! And, immediately about the improved right lead canter. I knew I'd get myself back together eventually. I will get pictures of Amber on Thursday. She's kind of homely. Not very glamorous, but still very cute.

Good job Amber!

Amber was a super star today! She felt better and was very bendy and adjustable. She stretched down and accepted the bit. Our canter to the right was also improved!

It was a nice lesson and I think Amber and I are getting to know each other a little bit more now. I would love to find a horse similar to her in her nature and gaits. She is a nice mare, fairly easy to ride, and willing to please. Casey has a great lesson horse in her!