Sofa Loaf-a Update

 I absolutely cannot be trusted with names and here we are - Sophie tuned into Sofa years ago, more recently Sofa Lofa and sometimes just 'The Loaf'. And to think she came with Vanna (her real name is Sovanna) and I changed it to Sophie because I was worried Vanna Banana would be irresistible to me. Surprise, everyone, I only made it worse.

Anyway, have I mentioned our proposed property purchase lately? It's...complicated. It is a time sink with the city planning and zoning approvals needed prior to sale. I am also feeling nervous now that current political events are going to impact real estate values.  I feel like there is a high chance it's not going to work out, so I panicked about not having that extra space this spring and reached out to a training and sales barn to sell Sophie for me. They asked a few questions, I answered honestly...and then they ghosted me :D In fairness it could be me they didn't want to work with, but equally they didn't ask me about MY bad habits :)

Will stalk you for chin scratches

For the record, she doesn't have any terrible ongoing bad habits but she is smart and very busy minded and liable to get herself into trouble if she's bored.  I've been pretty transparent about all those adventures here. I 90% trust she'll probably be fine, but also if there is a bad choice out there, she's probably tried it at some point so I couldn't honestly say she's never done/would never do it again. I can see how she might now be everyone's cup of tea and an easy sale, especially being pony size but not child appropriate. 

I felt stressed about it all anyway, so haven't pursued other barns or options. There's a chance the days of me actually being able to sell a horse might be behind me. I'm obviously really attached at the best of times, but when they live at home it's exponentially worse. Logic falls by the wayside.

Which brings me to another update. It's been past time to sort out a saddle. I've been trying a few. Mare is girthy. So, so annoyed with me. Which (sadly) for a while I've been kind of writing off as part of who she is. It's fun when it's your own horse you see every day - the obvious sometimes isn't as obvious as you hope it should be and things escalate over time without you really noticing as much as you should. But, (finally) I got to thinking a little harder on it - riding has been super intermittent this year, is she really still upset over that saddle that no longer fit, or is it more? Hmmm. Then the past week she was a little off her food, acting a little colicky, doing the 'quirky' things she does a little more. And so I called the vet and we are treating for ulcers (again - I had to look it up but we last treated two years ago).

Ponies. Fat and dapple-y and still ulcery

She's been managed and fed quite carefully to prevent recurrence, but here we are. We're doing the treat, then scope, plan but I absolutely hated the scope part for her last time, so we'll see if we can get the vet's approval to just treat. I think it works out the same cost wise just buying the gastroguard and sucralfate for two months vs treating/scoping/getting the second month comped with their promotion.

ANYWAY. She's been causing me a ton of anxiety lately. I just want happy, healthy horses but we all know that sometimes that's a big ask from the universe. 

In positive news, almost 7pm last night and still a bit of light in the sky.

Anyone have any great tips for giving tubes of meds to horses who are violently opposed to said things? I've been doing/have done the applesauce thing but she's smart enough to need to smell/taste contents before allowing it closer - I can sneak in a deworming or two a year this way, but daily doses were a challenge and a half last time. Last time I resorted to hiding it in apples and other high value treats but obviously the ideal is she gets the meds without food.

Wish me luck on the saddle fitting too, I need it :)