Another arctic tundra update

This is a blog post about nothing.

I've not been doing any of this and it doesn't look like I'll be doing any of this for a long time.  This is the reason I don't make goals, because the thought of not reaching them sucks.  I had a major goal of coming out strong in the spring at BN but that is far and distant right now.  

I've been showing up at the barn in this

Not very attractive but it keeps me warm and surprisingly I work up a sweat when I'm bashing ice out of buckets.

Speaking of, I'm tired of bashing ice out of buckets so I'm getting creative.  I saw this great product online

From http://www.wildangelcozy.com/.  I know several people that have them and they work exactly as advertised.  Super idea but a little expensive for 19 horses.  

I found a homemade option at Thepitchforkchronicles.com and decided to experiment with my own version.

The buckets at the barn all sit inside bucket holders like this only permanent so you can't really wrap the buckets. 

So I decided to wrap the holder.   Project Keep Damn Ice out of Damn Buckets phase 1 is a failure.  Too much airspace between the insulated part and the buckets.

On to Phase Two - Cry to myself.

Green plus Green equals Black and Blue

 

As a horse person you've probably heard the term.  You may have even been the term.  People overestimate their ability, their experience, and they have a dream in mind.

 

When they really need to spend a lot of time doing this

 

 

So they show up with this horse, the love of their life, the apple of their eye

 

 

That they want turned into this horse

 

In 30 days

 

 

If they're lucky they end up in a barn with an experienced trainer and they keep their ears open.

 



 

The trainer gently directs them to something more suitable for their experience and goals

 

 

Instead of what they initially arrived with

 

 

 With several months of professional training, weekly lessons, and patience they eventually go from this

 

 

To this with the understanding that it's a long road ahead

 

 

 After which they can look at other people, shake their heads, and hopefully prevent the same thing from happening to anyone else

 

 

 

 



 



Barn Care and the Polar Vortex

Well, I'm pretty close to selling all the horses by the pound.  I'm going to start with the one that was jumping back and forth over the fence as I was trying to repair it (teach a horse to event it uses that skill against you)

and the one that apparently doesn't know how to jump at all (Hello hanging legs! Goodbye fence!).

Then move on to the 2yo who clocked me in the face so hard I saw stars.  We had a RESPECT! session and now he will not come any closer then the end of his leadrope.  Which is fine by me.

So temps dropped to -14 this week but the horses still had to get fed.  First I had to get to the barn.  Which meant getting dug out of this

and this getting towed out.  Who knew you could spin your tires so hard you blew one and set your car on fire?

This is the washrack after the hot water heater kicked the bucket and dumped water all over the place and I couldn't get the door open to dump frozen buckets and said SCREW IT!  You can see the heat lamp to prevent the spigots from freezing again.

These are the back up buckets for when I said SCREW IT to solid bricks of ice.  You can drink from the bucket I give you or SCREW IT!

This is the hose that had to be dragged in and out of the tack room every day to water horses.  Damn hose.

Here is the feedchart to make sure everyone gets fed.  Damn horses.

And the people chart to make sure everything gets done right, necessary when multiple people are helping out. YAYYY PEOPLE!

I made a list of all the horses and a basic description (damn those chestnut mares).  DAMN THE REST TOO!

All the feed is labeled  YEAH FEED!

 

Although I hope it's obvious that this is hay.  YAY HAY!

 

 

 

 

Hopefully things will get better next week because they can't really get any worse.

 



Horse Auction Review

Today I made my annual trip to the Rushville New Year's sale.  Lots and lots and lots of western tack of varying quality for pretty good prices and quite a few horses as well.  Here are some of the horses that ran through the auction and the prices they brought.  Most of them went to the killers.

2002 QH mare.  Broke to ride, been a broodmare, caught in fence and hind legs a mess.  $100

Bay Mare, not registered, not broke $260

Black gelding, no papers, no age given, said to be crippled  $320

Chestnut mare no papers not broke to ride $225

Mule broke to drive $100

 TWH x saddlebred very gaited 15yo $135

A pick up horse was the highest selling horse of the day for $875.  Plain bay, big ugly head, but obviously a valuable horse.

Also at the sale were two minis who sold for $40 each and a Morgan/QH mare with foal at side who sold out back under the table to a young girl.

I did end up picking a horse up for free, I think he'll make an excellent eventing prospect although I hope he grows a little bit.  I like to get them young and unstarted and he even came with a blanket.