Support System Appreciation

 I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but I am absolutely spoiled by my husband. He's always been 200% in my corner any time I need anything. Sadly for him, I am a very independent and self sufficient person that hates asking for anything, so that's awkward. I used to feel like I owed him every time he did anything and I wasn't comfortable being in 'debt' if I felt like I couldn't return the favor. But, as the years have gone on, I'm more willing to let it go (at least with him, the rest of the world remains a challenge).  

Speaking of time going on, Tradey sometimes looks surprisingly grown up.

But no, never mind, that is definitely a baby horse bottom :D

G retired quite young (lucky!) last year. I'm 10 years younger, have a $$$$ hobby and am very easily bored so I'll be staying gainfully employed for the foreseeable.  Current status is that he's got all the free time in the world and I have very little. So, he's started feeding and doing morning pony paddock mucking out. That works nicely because he actually enjoys it and I can instead fit in a quick workout and start work an hour early(that means I am done early and get an hour of late afternoon daylight to enjoy even on the darkest mid winter day).

Light until 5:30 right now! (Tradey was absolutely not interested in putting his ears up or posing.)

BUT. But. G had a minor surgery last week and is taking a vacation from being Chief Pony Caretaker for a month or two. Here I am again, up well before the sun, being accountable for my own stupid equine hobby :)

Frosty morning sunrise

I'm not actually complaining, because I enjoy seeing the horses first thing and they're really not 'work' for me. I'm THAT person, the one that likes all the day to day probably even more than I like riding. Plus, I don't mind an excuse to skip a work out now and then :)

Buck is the 'quieter' one but every morning I wake him up (literally) and then he NEEDS to run around and go nuts for 20 minutes. It's hilarious.

To be fair though, G deserves the world's biggest shout out - there is a lot of work that goes into keeping horses, especially keeping horses at home and I honestly don't think I'd have three of them if I was the sole person looking after them. 

Look at their sweet little faces. Don't be fooled. The more I feel like I need to hurry, the more chance these two dump that wheelbarrow.

In fact, that discussion was had again recently. I purposely haven't made any Sophie related plans or goals because I was leaning towards sending her out (to a trusted person) to sell. Horses are expensive, and one of my 2025 goals is to save money for a new truck. But, turns out that once again G refuses to vote Sophie off the island. 

She's a smart mare...she's SUPER sweet with G, lol. She loves him, but is less than polite to me if she thinks she can be.

My vote is never a consistent one, I waffle back and forth. With Chief Pony Caretaker status, G gets a full vote these days. I joke she is his, now.  So, she stays another year at least. It's easy to question things when I'm not doing much with her (that saddle to try is STILL sitting in a warehouse somewhere waiting to be delivered) and I know she'd thrive with a full time job and her chosen person, but it is nice having her around to putter away with while the cob boys grow up.