Getting Things Done

It's been two weeks and I'm going to be the broken record once again saying I have no idea where the time went. I know I've been stupid busy with building the Pony House and work and life but September really snuck up on me. We're at less than a month to baby pony arrival - how has it even been 5 months since they were born (and how have I still not settled on a name for one of them?)

But, autumn is my very favorite time of year, so it's also suddenly seemed like I'd better carve out more riding time, before I'm complaining about being unable to get out due to bad winter weather.

I have a lovely friend who has a new pony she's wanting to get back into endurance with, which means she's often heading out to the trails. I have a lovely palomino mare with a new saddle who I think would benefit from such exercise, so this seemed like two worlds that needed to collide.

If you've been reading for any length of time you're probably aware or have figured out I can get anxious over random things. Trailering my horses by myself is currently one of those things. I am completely capable of it, I just don't love it and if I have a choice I'll talk someone into coming along.

Riding Sophie on the trails also feels like it is becoming a thing. I was making all the excuses not to, which is not normal for me - all my previous horses have spent many more hours outside the arena than in and I grew up working at a barn guiding trail rides. She's not bad at all, it just felt increasingly difficult to set her up for some success because some crazy not-our-fault thing or another seemed to be happening every time. But, really, this is how it is now. It's busy out there, we need to share the trails and the only way is forward is to keep educating users and give Sophie many more positive miles to outweigh the bad.

Random phone pictures again this week. One of the casualties of the 'no time' thing is pictures with the nice camera. I'll get back to it soon because I do miss it.

Anyway, I've hit a wall where I'm so fricking tired of feeling tired and anxious and setting limits on what we can or will do any given day that the frustration is finally outweighing the anxiety and I just want to get back to getting it done. It's supposed to be fun, not stressful.

So, off I drove last week. On my own. After a disastrous attempt at loading her solo and a broken halter x1 (the herdbound thing is currently driving me nuts, but the second pony house is nearly done and B leaves on lease in the beginning of October anyway. Their dynamic is just weird and despite what they might say, I don't feel it's a net positive for either of them). 

Toxic besties look cute together when it's peaceful, tho ;)

I was seriously wondering what I was thinking, but like I said above I am just so tired of there being some kind of drama or obstacle, that I think at some point I just need to move forward whether it is an ideal situation or not. S is simply not the type to be consistent day to day so I do think the better option is to just keep moving, rather than be tempted to focus on outlier weird days or events. Don't get me wrong, I note them for a future check in (trailer loading solo has been revisited heavily this week), but often there is no point on dwelling in the moment...the bonus of having a pony who's quick thinking is that the many interesting choices that are made get completely discarded and forgotten when she moves on. The trick is the timing to reward the good choices and generally slow us both down a little so it's got time to 'stick' - then she's a star because she's 100% genuine and wants to do the right thing. 

Anyway, I got to our meeting place. Sophie was very excited. I got on anyway because, I don't know, this was some alternate universe where I was just doing the thing and trusting the work I've done with the pony. Worries about consequences and safety and 'what ifs' were going to have to wait. 

We pointed Sophie at the biggest hill in the area, and she climbed that, while Friend B and I were smugly thinking S was going to regret her life choices partway up. No, not so much. It seems I own the fittest pony in all the land. All that cantering around the field and general shenanigans seem to be an optimal path to fitness on their own, who needs a rider? lol. But about 30 minutes in she started to settle and despite being looky she didn't put a foot wrong. We actually had a super nice ride up around a little mountain and back, about a two hour trip. S was a superstar and the last hour or so was on the buckle with her happily trucking along leading the way. She never did really break a sweat or want a break, which is freaky and had my friend suggesting endurance riding as a viable path for my spicy pony.

Got back to the trailer with me being so, so pleased with Sophie. We've put a Wednesday ride with Friend B on our schedule every week moving forward.

In tiny horse property news, I'm started to get stressed out about pony house/paddock completion. As is my way, I got a little overzealous with the modifications and detail and now I'm kind of wondering how it's all going to get finished in the next 3 weeks - I do still work full time! I have some other commitments over our Canadian Thanksgiving weekend and then the colts arrive the weekend after. Maybe I need to take a week of vacation and just get it done? Realistically I think it will be fine, but I'm not the person who likes leaving things until the last minute - I'd much prefer it was ready now and then I could just relax about it :)

Is actually quite a bit further along than this, these pics are a week or so old. I just need to put the metal roof on and backfill gravel and mats for the floor. Oh, and a door. It needs a door. And a gate. And....lol ok it's not that close to done yet.

* I wrote this post a few days ago and forgot to post it. I'm reading my descriptors of Sophie and smiling because we got rain this morning for the first time in a few weeks (we've had an abnormally dry summer to be fair) and she absolutely couldn't cope with walking to the field in the rain, think tail and butt tucked under her and jumping and scooting when it dripped down. Husband G: "what kind of horse lives HERE and forgets about rain?!" lol, that would be my little goldfish horse. Every day is a new and unexpected adventure :)