Not To Plan = New Lists

Nice peaceful barn

My plan was to get back from OH on Tuesday morning, go into to work for part of the day, and then head to the barn in the evening. Instead I ended up starting to get sick (stomach flu like symptoms) on the flight back. I was pretty miserable yesterday evening and it got even worse overnight. My fever stopped sometime in the morning when I was dozing but by that point I only ended up with about 2ish hours of sleep before my alarm went off. I called into work but still did a few things from home so that we didn't need to reschedule people.

That was miserable on so little sleep and I was so low on calories at that point that with both combined I was still chilled and feeling light headed. I napped a couple more times throughout the day and in the afternoon I managed to keep down some toast and ginger ale.

I was feeling enough comparatively better by evening, and knew that Katai was going to run out of supplements, that I decided to drive out to drop off supplements and check on Katai. I probably shouldn't have since I still felt like crap but I was successful in my mission but napped again as soon as I got back. Not sure if any of this even makes sense since I'm so sleep deprived still but updating lists was something I could get done.

First, to catch up with the last list.

Plans for moving week (Week of April 15th):
-move pony to the new barn - Done
-move stuff to the new barn - Sort of done, still need space for the rest of my stuff but it's living in my car for now
-confirm show plans for the summer/at least the next few months so that I can request PTO
-ride at least 3 times and make use of the move to practice for riding in a new space - Done!
-schedule lesson(s) with S2

She still remembered me

New Lists!

Last Week in April:
-Ride/lunge/hand trail walk at least four days including Saturday
-Ride with M on Saturday morning!!
-Get my car (current tackroom) organized
-Walk Katai's warmer blankets (and get them out of my car!)
-Continue to treat Katai's thrush
-Schedule lessons with S2 (moving from above)
-Determine show plans (moving from above)

First Week in May:
-Try to ride/work Katai 5 days hopefully including some outdoor riding
-Hopefully have a lesson with S2 if I haven't already
-Make sure I get all my coggins and other show paperwork in order
-Register Katai with USEquestrian and NDPC (I already have my memberships but need to get these two done)

Second Week in May:
-Make sure my show clothes and other equipment are ready to go and that I'm not missing anything
-Ride 5 times
-Work on memorizing 1st level tests
-Register for show? (I think it will be this week and hopefully S2 will still think we're ready)
-Book hotel?
-Figure out method for transporting my show stuff
-Ride movements from tests
-Arrange someone to watch puppies

Third Week in May:
- Have another lesson with S2 potentially depending on availability
-Ride at least 5 times
-Ride through tests

Hopefully I'll feel well enough tomorrow even after work that I'll be able to get out to the barn and actually accomplish a bit. Now it's time for bed at 2 hours early.

Stubbornly Surviving

Saturday night, this poor person just gave up and sort of drove into an alley

This past week or so has been tough. We had a blizzard last weekend that started on Friday evening and didn't stop until late on Sunday. I also wasn't hearing from the amazing person who's willing to trailer my pony, probably because of the snow but it's stressful enough moving her without adding the stress of not knowing when. I've also been struggling with motivation which has been made that much tougher with all of this snow and crummy weather.

But we're still here! Luckily I lunged early last Friday prior to Katai's vet appointment since I already had that time off work. I was glad I did when the snow started earlier than planned on Friday evening. Then I was stuck at home on Saturday and Sunday. Luckily the bf and I got to spend some time hanging out with the puppies, playing Zelda, online shopping, and occasionally heading out into the snow to help rescue people.

From Sunday

Monday I worked from home because there was still significant ice on the roads and several huge snow drifts between my car and work. After a nice sunny day of melting though the roads were clear enough for me to get to the barn that evening. Unfortunately pony was still stiff from her shots and in no mood to play along. She was also extraordinarily reactive.

I took some time to think through it and realized that I'm learning (for the umpteenth time) that pony NEEDS to be on a fairly significant dose of magnesium or she goes out of her mind. Tiny things that would never phase her had her flying backwards or sideways and trying to lunge her only ended in her bolting around with absolutely no sense in her eyes. I had reduced her recently as mentioned based on the FeedXL suggestions but clearly her magnesium needs are slightly outside of what FeedXL is accounting for.  I realized that's what was going on Tuesday and ordered some through Amazon with 2 day shipping so it will be here Thursday in enough time for me to give her a couple of loading doses before she travels to the new barn.

Tough to tell from this angle but it was at his withers on Saturday

I did end up having my lesson on Tuesday but she was stiff and sore still through her neck so we  kept it pretty short and sweet. Unfortunately that will likely be my last lesson with Jane unless I'm lucky enough to cross paths with her in the future but the tools she's given me are things I'll be able to use for the rest of my life. It's continued to be bittersweet to think about leaving and I'm excited about the new opportunity.

In other news I've continued to try to focus on what I can accomplish vs. what I can't and have made more progress on my list. I also took care of a few things that weren't even on the list such as picking up the new hay net (a nibble net) and purchasing new brush wash packet so that I can get my brushes cleaned again prior to the move

Early on Saturday, almost to the top of my boots.

Plans for last week were to;
-clean all my tack including Katai’s leather turnout halter - partially done ahead of schedule
-post an update on the farrier/feet situation
-re-subscribe to feedxl since there’s a new ration balancer at the new barn that I need to figure out - Done
-ride at least 4 times - almost made it
-make sure I get at least one lesson in - Done
-try to wash Katai’s legs (which should have happened when it was warmer but oh well, at least this way she won’t go back out to mud since it’s all ice again) - May not happen with the state of the wash rack. If not, I'll take care of this at the new barn.
-wash blankets and make sure that all of Katai’s clothes are clean and ready to be used (moving to a more heated barn so we’re going to need different blankets than we do now) - Almost Done

 Plans for moving week (Week of April 15th):
-move pony to the new barn - Scheduled for Friday
-move stuff to the new barn
-confirm show plans for the summer/at least the next few months so that I can request PTO
-ride at least 3 times and make use of the move to practice for riding in a new space - rode/lunged twice so far this week. I plan to be out there Thursday, move Friday, and ride this Saturday
-schedule lesson(s) with S2

Another Update

Crabby looking sleepy puppies.
Their answer to dealing with the blizzard we're having is to sleep and cuddle

I'd like to be able post things other than just update posts but after taking such big breaks between posts it seems like it makes sense. Updates first and then I'm hopefully going to spend some time today writing more posts so that I have some prepared content for the next couple of weeks.

Plans for this week are to;
-schedule travel to new barn for Katai Doneish, I've received confirmation that travel will happen this next week, just not exactly when...
-make sure the vet visit for shots and coggins gets scheduled for before we leave  Scheduled and completed as of Friday
-drop off extra tack at the local tack swap this Friday - did not do
-finish “pulling” her mane 
-trim her beard and ear hairs as well as cleaning up her feather  I didn't get her ear floof trimmed but that's less important to me than the other stuff.
-bring home all the extra stuff I have at the barn and get it cleaned and organized for the move 
-ride at least 3 times  Yay!!
-try to reschedule several lesson make ups (at this point I’m certainly not going to get all of these made up but having a few more lessons before I leave would be great!) 
-make sure I get a new drawer from Smartpak since I tossed the other one and the new barn uses them

Plans for next week are to;
-clean all my tack including Katai’s leather turnout halter - partially done ahead of schedule
-post an update on the farrier/feet situation
-re-subscribe to feedxl since there’s a new ration balancer at the new barn that I need to figure out
-ride at least 4 times
-make sure I get at least one lesson in
-try to wash Katai’s legs (which should have happened when it was warmer but oh well, at least this way she won’t go back out to mud since it’s all ice again)
-wash blankets and make sure that all of Katai’s clothes are clean and ready to be used (moving to a more heated barn so we’re going to need different blankets than we do now)

 Plans for moving week (Week of April 15th):
-move pony to the new barn
-move stuff to the new barn
-confirm show plans for the summer/at least the next few months so that I can request PTO
-ride at least 3 times and make use of the move to practice for riding in a new space
-schedule lesson(s) with S2

So Done

With winter this year. I know that it’s not just us in MN that are struggling with a really rough winter this year but I live here and it’s been bad so I’m going to complain about it! 

Tiny car looks even cuter with the wipers up to prepare for ice

We’re on something like third winter right now and after a couple of warmer weeks of 40s with one day in the 50s we’re back to the 20s and 30s. This past weekend we had a day with wind chills of 0 and today and tomorrow we are getting ANOTHER snow storm (7-8” this time). This past weekend I didn’t get out to the barn because of cold and Easter. I didn’t realize there was going to be a snow storm until Sunday after Easter plans had already started or I would have prioritized barn when I could. Now I’m stuck not being able to get to the barn likely until Thursday this week since after the snow storm I have plans on Wednesday that I can’t change. This is so so so so so so so so so so so so frustrating especially with moving to the new barn and trying to coordinate vet visit, pony travel, and getting caught up after a winter of this crap so that we can manage to not make fools of ourselves at this show.

We’ll be ok, I know we will and sooner rather than later the weather will change and we’ll have at least a month or so of really solid rides and solid work. I’m also absolutely planning to use this show as a training opportunity and am not worried about what scores we get. This is all for fun but I don’t want to get there and completely bomb either since that won’t exactly be fun haha. Mostly though I'm soooo excited to move and have all of these amazing opportunities and just in time for spring!

Everything is melting at the moment but it'll turn into ice overnight.
You can't really tell in these pictures but the snow has been really
coming down and visibility was rough on the way home from work

For the short term I'm going to go with lists instead of goals since that feels less overwhelming and more useful.

Plans for this week are to;

-schedule travel to new barn for Katai
-make sure the vet visit for shots and coggins gets scheduled for before we leave

-drop off extra tack at the local tack swap this Friday

-finish “pulling” her mane

-trim her beard and ear hairs as well as cleaning up her feather

-bring home all the extra stuff I have at the barn and get it cleaned and organized for the move

-ride at least 3 times

-try to reschedule several lesson make ups (at this point I’m certainly not going to get all of these made up but having a few more lessons before I leave would be great!)

-make sure I get a new drawer from Smartpak since I tossed the other one and the new barn uses them - Done

More snow

Plans for next week are to;

-clean all my tack including Katai’s leather turnout halter 

-post an update on the farrier/feet situation

-re-subscribe to feedxl since there’s a new ration balancer at the new barn that I need to figure out

-ride at least 4 times

-make sure I get at least one lesson in
-try to wash Katai’s legs (which should have happened when it was warmer but oh well, at least this way she won’t go back out to mud since it’s all ice again)

-wash blankets and make sure that all of Katai’s clothes are clean and ready to be used (moving to a more heated barn so we’re going to need different blankets than we do now)

Plans for moving week (Week of April 15th):
-move pony to the new barn
-move stuff to the new barn

-confirm show plans for the summer/at least the next few months so that I can request PTO
-ride at least 3 times and make use of the move to practice for riding in a new space
-schedule lesson(s) with S2