Testing driving tractors

So, with the new farm purchase only days away, we decided to go look at tractors. My husband is a city boy and has never spent a lot of time on farms. I on the other hand, am always on a farm and playing with tractors is a common event. But this was going to be fun. So off we go on Saturday for the tractor store which sold New Holland and Kubotas.

We talked to the salesman for a while and of course he directed us right out to the new Kubota L series. These are great tractors for the equestrian. However they have a lot of bells and whistles not normally needed. Especially the fancy transmition. Much to the disappointment of the salesman, we decided we wanted to look at the MX5000 model, or as he called it, the "economy model". This model has manual transmition and not all the fancy thingies on it that will just break. He gave us the keys and off we went.

I didn't know you could test drive tractors, but you can, and we did. We had races around the outside of the showroom. And I took the tractor over a curb so fast that I bounced out of the seat which caused it to shut down. After I stopped laughing, I started it back up and off to the races. I am convinced that my husband and I took five years off the salesman life that day. But hey, you got to get your giggles where you can.

New Farm

So I wrote in my last posting that my husband and I are closing on 20 acres of land. I was fortunate enough as a child to grow up on a small horse farm, but I have missed living on one every day since.

It all started with my husband asking me to play hookey from work for a day. And for me to get online and find some properties to go look at just for a destination. So I found a few and one where I could easily locate on a map. Off we go. We drove around the very cute little town just down from our city and found the property. It was 20 cleared acres (with brush growing up) and two streams. The best part is that it is 2 miles from the center of the little town. All around this property are cow farms, private homes on acreage and small horse farms.

We drove into the little town and to the real estate office to ask about it. The real estate agent was shocked for some reason. But was happy to give us all the details. We took everything and thanked him and left. I thought that was the end of it... just a day out exploring. We continued on our merry way and had a wonderful day together.

That Saturday we drove back up to look at it again and see if we really did like it as much as we remembered. I told my husband all the wonderful things we could do there and how great the area was and how it was the next "it" place to be. So he turns to me and says, okay, drive us back into town. We go straight to the real estate office and made an offer. After a few days of negotiating back and forth we decided to walk away. I was crushed, and so was my husband. It wasn't that we were that far off from each other, but it was the principle of it at that point. I thought we were done and would start looking again.

That night my husband came home and asked me what I was doing the next day. I explained that I was working for my horse trainer but had some time if he needed me to do something for him. He said yes, he needed me to call a soild scientist, and surveyor, etc. I had no idea why I needed to do all that and must have had the biggest stupid look on my face. He then surprised me by saying that we went ahead and agreed to the price for the land. I was FLOORED! I couldn't stop screaming and jumping up and down with excitement. We were about to be land owners!!! And not just any land, but a beautiful potential horse farm! How cool is that?!?!?!

Now 50 days later we have done all the research and due diligence and it all checks out and we are about to close in a week on it. I have already found the perfect house plan (with small modifications) and dreamed up the perfect barn plan. However, we are going to hold off building for a couple of years (boo hiss). This summer we are going to get it cleared and plant pasture grass this fall. And thus has begun the research for the perfect mix of grasses for our area. Which is likely to be the subject of my next post.

Dressage Princess

A whirlwind life

Wow,
So I just noticed that my last posting was August of 2005. What a bad blogger I am. So much has changed in that time. I had moved to a new job and it turned out to take me in the exact direction I did NOT want to go. They had me leaving on Sunday nights for a trip for the week and not returning until after midnight on Friday. Needless to say it left little time for riding. So the first of November I called it quits. Welcome back to my life.

This new life was all about being with my husband, enjoying our new house that we moved in June of 2005 and of course... riding Dublin. All was not smooth, Dublin was having attitude problems, which came from a very sore body and a poor chiropractor that was not treating him correctly. And now a career change. After several long discussions with my husband and my uncle I decided to make the move to be come a real estate appraiser. So for the first part of this year I have been taking classes and then passing the licensing test. Now I am still trying to find a supervisor.

Now that it is late April things are starting to look up. I might land a job at the end of May (keep your fingers crossed for me). I found the perfect chiropractor and she has "healed" my horse, and the best news... my husband and I are closing on 20 acres of land in a very cute town close to here. So in a couple of years we'll be building our dream farm.

There is more... but I'll start writing that up later. I hope to write more often as I have a little more time now.

Dressage Princess

Back to blogging and a new trailer

Hi all,
I have been away from blogging. For my very small following... I'll try to be better about this. I was working with a small company (the ones that actually got me started in blogging) and left to a new job. And basically June was one busy month. I started a new, very intense job, moved Dublin to yet another new farm and moved into my brand newly constructed house. All this in a three week period. I'll just say that it is a good thing I am open to change!

So with all that said, I am going to try to get back into writing down some of my thoughts and experiences with the horse. The most recent exciting news is I have FINALLY purchased a brand new trailer. I am so excited to be mobile again. have watched for trailers online at http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/newhome.asp for the longest time. Then one day I found exactly what I wanted. And by the time I had called, called my husband and bank and then called back to the dealer it was sold.

I was so frustrated, not only did I just want a trailer so I could stop bumming rides off my friends, I was worried about not being able to get Dublin to the vet school should something go wrong. This new farm where he is located is wonderful. However their trailer is too small and on a good day there would be no way Dublin would even get close to their trailer. So with the frustration of finding a year old trailer and then losing it in a matter of 30 minutes, I called around to the local dealers. I knew what I wanted and how much I wanted to pay, I just needed to find it.

I was VERY lucky. I emailed a dealer in Ashville called Ken Feagin Truck and Trailer Sales. I told Randy, the salesman, I was looking for a 2 horse Trail-et with a dressing room used. He wrote back and said he had a brand new one that had a very small "wrinkle" in the tail curtain and would sell it to me at cost. Well that didn't take me long to think that one through. So that Saturday my husband and I were on our way to Ashville (3 and 1/2 hours away) to look at and bring it home.

I grinned the whole way home. I have been wanting this trailer for over four years. I couldn't stand myself I was so excited. Once we got back to town, my husband suggested we park it in front of our house for the night (it was early evening by the time we got home) and for us to fix ourselves a celebratory drink and to sit on the front porch and stare at it. You have got to love a man (who is non-horsy) to understand the importance of this moment.

On Sunday I went and picked up Dublin, who walked right onto his new trailer and seemed to know it was all his. And we headed to my trainer's place to ride for the day. Since then I have had great pleasure in putting all my stuff in the dressing room and looking at all the catalogs for all the little stuff I need for it. I have even signed up for a horseshow just so I can go somewhere.... Oh the simple pleasures of life!

Sore backs in horses

I have mentioned in earlier posts that Dublin's back has become sore. I am not sure how or when, but he is hurting pretty badly. Most mornings I get one he feels like he is all bowed up and ready to buck me into next week. But after walking a bit I feel it come down and even relax. However in the last week it is taking longer and longer to get him warmed up and the back to relax. So he is now on a mini vacation while we wait for the muscle relaxers to arrive.

However, I have started a little treatment that my vet told me she learned from an old horse racing sports medicine vet (long title but you get the picture). You put Beagle Oil directly on their backs and then put a damp warm/hot towel over the spot. This causes the Beagle oil to penetrate into their back and ease up some of the tension in the muscles.

I tried it for the first time this morning. Dublin was not thrilled with the oil being poured directly on his back (it was a little cold at first). I then messaged the oil into his hair directly on the sore spots and then placed the towel over his back. He had this look on his face like he was trying to decide if he liked it or not. But then gave into it after 30 seconds. I walked him to his stall for his breakfast and while he ate his grain the towel stayed on his back.

The wet towel does get cool quickly. I will now work the next few days to see how to keep it warm longer. I will probably get one hot and then add a couple on top to keep in the heat.

More later

"The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man"

That quote from Winston Churchill is so true. Yesterday I had a really rotten day. To the point of sitting in my office and just crying. I was IM'ing with my husband and all he said is "get out and go to the barn to see Dublin".

So I hauled myself out of the office (actually I sprinted out) and went to the barn. Dublin was already in his stall having dinner. I went in and brushed on him for a few minutes. But with his new spring coat that is so slick that was very short work. I put everything away and then went back into his stall. There is a little threshold in the door way, so I sat down. I continued to cry, be pissed and generally in a bad mood.

Dublin had moved to his hay which was across the stall from me. He knew something was terribly wrong and not sure what to do with me. So he ate. Surprise, surprise. But after getting a mouthful of hay, we would swing around and check on me. Then he would put his nose on my head or shoulder as almost a hug. Then he would go back to eating and come back and check on me every so often.

We sat there for about 45 minutes. Or at least until I was ready to get up and face the world again. Just by being there and looking at his beautiful self and sharing a special moment, my worries and stresses didn't seem that important.

"The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man" is so true and I thank him for being there for me.

Farm managers really should know better

I am lucky enough to board my horse at an old but well appointed horse facility. Again, it is old and things are falling down, but there are pastures, indoor arena, large out door arena, small hills to run up and down, and nice block stalls with openins to the outside with overhangs and an interior asile.

I am also one of two boarders there and there are probably about 30 horses on the farm. The farm manager has a few but the farm owner has the largest amount. The farm owner lives else where and comes and visits from time to time.

Now my complaint and/or observation. The barn manager has a very nice family and they have been around horses all their lives. However that does not mean one knows how to act around horses or they really know what they are doing. I watched yesterday as the barn manager and his kids rode horses through the barn. First, the center asile ceiling is only about 9 to 10 feet high. They were on short horses (14 hands) but if one decided to stand up or be ugly then they were destined to crash their heads into the ceiling. Not to mention that one of the horses decided to go back to her stall and take her rider with her. After the small panic attack of watching this, I then got the joy of watching the son trying to get on a horse. Again this horse couldn't be over 14.1 hands, but he starts from the ground with no contact with the reins, and sticks a foot in the stirrup and swings from it for a while until he gets some strength to get up into the saddle.

There are other little things like the 10 year son turning out a very nasty stallion. This horse has been known to grab a grown adult by the shoulder and then throwing them across the barn.

I guess this rant is really just a little frustration about how careless people are around these animals. I have been around them all my life and know I get a little lazy, but you can so easy get hurt that it is a good thing to remember and respect them.