It Has Begun

 I feel like my posts are pretty repetitive the last month. "Here's all the things that happened on the property Volumes 1 - Infinity." 

I guess if you like checking out property improvements you're in luck? If you're here for the pony updates, I'm sorry for the lack of interesting content but there's not too much longer to go until my focus turns back to them! Only 10 days until Sophie comes home and I'm aware I haven't updated as far as future plans for Bridget and pony foals.

B busy doing yard maintenance, as always. I've owned her forever and I still can't believe how easy she is. We've had a ton of machinery and things happening this week and she just ignores it all and happily munches away on whatever corner of the yard I put her in that morning. She's hilarious, because she knows once I start packing tools up at the end of the day she needs to go back to her paddock, so 99% of the time she puts herself back in for a siesta until I come back later at night. I just need to open and close gates for her and she sorts the rest lol

Anyway, this week in property updates:

A new manure bin almost complete. Google tells me this should hold 6 months of two horses (with no bedding). Thats...a lot of poo. 

My little shrubs I planted in the spring are becoming established.

The machine arrived.

And I learned how to build a proper drainage system.  I'm super grateful I didn't have to hand dig any of it and my neighbour provided the required on the job training. I would have thought the pipe going downhill would have been good enough, but apparently it needs to be on a 1% grade and the perforated holes face DOWN, and my 90 degree fittings I bought don't meet inspection requirements,  but 2 45's do?  Anyway, he's a gem and he's never allowed to move.

Sadly, the machine broke down on day 2 and we're waiting on parts. But look! Drainage is installed and I have materials delivered. We're all ready to level and finish the sub base for the ring. Those are my new fence posts in the back of the truck awaiting installation. I've got the rails stained and ready to go. Fingers crossed we'll still have a fence and ring by month's end but this delay might make it stretch into the first week of Oct.

I'm aware I'm going to run out of time to build Sophie's shelter before she gets here, so she's going to have to share with Bridget temporarily. They've previously shared a paddock and shelter when I boarded elsewhere so I'm not too worried about it, it's just more convenient to be able to separate them at least part of the day since they have vastly different calorie requirements (and also B, although very tolerant of Sophie,  prefers her own space)

There is a 40x60 paddock attached to the barn, which sadly is considered quite spacious for two ponies to share in this part of the world. Ideally Sophie will have her own identical set up before winter comes.

Luckily the existing barn is big enough for them to share temporarily as well. For now they'll be sharing what I had intended to be B's foaling stall.

The other two paddocks I have are fenced, it's just the second shelter missing. As long as the weather holds they'll still be able to have their own spaces in the day. They'll also have free run of the back field once the ring base and fence are in. For now I'm kind of focused on getting the ring usable as my priority - Sophie needs regular exercise more than she needs her own shelter lol