End of an Era

 Peebs' barn has slowly been winding down their boarding operation, and is going to close in May. I knew it was coming, but it was still a bit of a shock to get the official notice. We've been hauling over there for lessons since 2018, and Cinder moved there in 2019 and Peebs in 2020 so it feels like we've been there forever. I'm going to miss this perfect little barn. 

I've been on the hunt for the last few weeks for another retirement/low key boarding barn that offers as much turnout as possible. My area is (normally) fairly wet in the winter and a lot of barns really limit winter time turnout to save their fields from turning into absolute mud pits. Peebs has been used to pretty much 24/7 turnout the past few years, either being out in the pasture or the dry lot paddock with a run-in shed. And his stall has a large run off it so even when he's "in" he's not stuck in a box stall. I don't want him locked inside all winter. 

I put up a post on a FB boarding group and got some leads, and I asked my vet for recommendations when Peebs got his spring vaccines. Trainer M also offered a stall at Cinder's barn if I can't find anything by the time I need to move out, and I joked that Peebs could earn his keep by doing pony summer camp. I ended up touring three barns and am going to drop of a deposit check on one tomorrow. 

The first barn was the farthest away (45min) and $50/month more than what my current board is. I would have to switch both vet and farrier as it was outside of their service area. The farm was absolutely lovely, part of a 250 acre family farm that grows their own hay, but their pastures were super lush and they keep multiple hay nets full in all the stalls. Which for most horses would be great, but not Peebs. His fecal water syndrome is best managed with limited hay, soaked hay pellets, and he needs to be out on non-lush, short pasture. I liked the place, and it would be an awesome retirement home for most horses, but it just wasn't a fit for us.

Barn 2 was recommended by my vet, only 20 mins from my house, but $175/month more. My vet goes to this barn regularly, but I need to see if my farrier does or will. Its about a dozen horses, half retired half not, but very laid back and relaxed. Horses are in at night, and out during the day with the option for 24/7 turnout in the summer. The property is on a hill, so when its snowy/icy horses don't go out but get indoor arena turnout. Someone is there 24/7 and they check on the horses multiple times a day and do night check. I really liked the vibes of this barn. 

Barn 3 was the same price as my current barn, and while 40mins away, it's only 10mins off the freeway that I drive on to go see Cinder, so I would be passing it multiple times a week. Again, would have to switch vet and farrier, but this barn did include holding for their farrier in the board price. It was a backyard barn, with an old somewhat run down barn that had two stalls that aren't used. Horses are out 24/7 with run-in sheds and fencing was flexible to make a smaller paddock or let the horses out into a bigger pasture. The fences were falling down a bit, and "theoretically" hot. The manager only comes out twice a day to feed, and the horses are mostly unsupervised. I would have to let them know when I was stopping by, so the property owners (who are only there in the summer) wouldn't be surprised by people showing up. Which I understand, but I don't want to have to make an appointment to see my own horse. 

So barn 2 it is! I still need to iron out the date of our move, and see how much tack room space there is so I can pair down all the shit I have, but I'm relieved to have found a place for Peebs. Hopefully he settles in well and the moves goes uneventfully. 

The Best Laid Plans

 Well the start to our show season is being delayed a month or so. We were supposed to leave for Thermal on Saturday, but scratched last Tuesday. DIHP put out a small little blurb last Monday about "a small number of horses" testing positive for equine influenza, but not to worry because they had been removed from the show grounds and were in a quarantine facility. 

Cinder was not pleased at getting a bath for a full body clip, now all for naught

Our vet is an FEI vet who has worked with the main show vet at DIHP in the past. She called him up and asked what exactly was going on. Allegedly there were 10 horses that tested positive, all vaccinated, and it appears that its a new strain of flu. She strongly recommended that we do not go, and if we did, that we should quarantine the horses when returning to Oregon.

Kill me

Combine that with the weather forecast for our week there, and all four of us going decided to scratch. There's no way our horses, or us humans, would have been ok with showing in that heat. It's hasn't broken 70 here in Oregon and the shock of going to 107 would have been cruel. Let alone hauling in that heat. 

I'm taking this as a sign from the universe that I'm supposed to show in Thermal in the fall, hopefully at Adult Hunter Finals if we can qualify. 

2025 Year End Awards

 Despite only getting to 4 shows last year, and one of those (Tbird) didn't count towards points, we somehow racked up the ribbons. 

These are all from the Oregon Hunter Jumper Association, and I realized after taking the pic that I forgot to pick up one ribbon. I am also eagerly awaiting my reserve champ vest to arrive. 

Reserve Champion Long Stirrup Hunter

4th 0.80-0.85m Jumper

5th USHJA 2'6 Hunter

6th 0.70-0.75m Jumper

6th Low Adult Equitation

6th USHJA 2'3" Hunter

Stepping it Up

Our first show of 2026 is a month away, and Cinder and mine's first clinic together is two weeks away, so we're officially stepping things up. The tentative plan is for Trainer M to take Cin in the 3' Green Hunters and she's been jumping her bigger once a week or so and hot damn if Cin isn't rising to the occasion. 

They make it look so easy

We've also been in flying change boot camp which seems to finally be paying off. She's at the point now where she 100% knows what we're asking, she's just lazy and doesn't want to. And she get pissy, mostly on the flat, when you try to set her up too much before asking for them. She's better about getting them while coursing, and Trainer M even put us on a flying change ban on the flat for now, as to not anger the beast too much. 

I'm hoping to do the 2'6" with her at the show, but my main goal is go and have fun. We're heading south to Thermal for a week, and Indio/Thermal has been a dream show of mine for about *cough* 25 years so I know nerves and the intimidation factor will play a roll. I do think we have a better plan for Cinder's nerves (vet recommended big dose of ulcergard and some perfect prep the first few days) so hopefully her being more chill will help me be more chill. 

The countdown is on and final prep is being done and I can't wait! 

 

Peebs' Takes a Turn

 Despite the two atmospheric rivers the PNW got in December, it's been a dry year for us. We had about a 10 day streak at the end of January where it was dry and sunny, but cold at night. Temps in the low 20s overnight but warming up to the 40s during the day. Peebs, who has turned slightly feral in retirement and prefers to be outside as much as possible, was left out in the bigger paddock with the run in shed during this time.

I pulled into the barn one Friday night to feed dinner and could see him walking around in his paddock. He took a few off steps, then was fine, then took another funky step. I pulled him out and he was reluctant to walk across the gravel and into the barn. Definitely lame on his right front. I was thinking abscess so I wrapped him up and left him inside. He was slightly better Saturday, slightly worse Sunday, and by Monday was lame on both fronts. So I called the vet. 

On Wednesdays Tuesdays we wear pink

I kept wrapping both fronts as if he had abscess, and while he was more comfortable moving around with the wraps on, I didn't really think we were dealing with abscess. He's very stoic, and has had abscess before without showing any symptoms. He was also lamer during this time than he's ever been in the 10yrs that I've owned him. I did briefly think he might have been foundering. 

Thankfully all he has is some bruising on both front feet more than likely due to the hard freezes we had and his feet being a bit soft from the atmospheric river last month. He got a set of shoes and pads put on (he was very offended when the farrier started nailing shoes on after being barefoot for 4yrs) the day after our vet visit and walked away perfectly sound. Both my vet and farrier think he'll only need the shoes and pad for a cycle, maybe two and will be back to barefoot after that. 

AAAAAHHHHH

 I think most of us can agree that the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026 can best be described as The Horrors. I've felt like that last month has gone by in both a blink of an eye and that its lasted an entire year. Living in the US sucks, work sucks, the professional organization I'm on the board of directors of sucks, and my dad had major surgery so I've been helping my mom take care of him (thankfully he's doing great and recovery hasn't been as bad as we were expecting). But thank god and *knocks on wood* the ponies have been wonderful. 

We did start 2026 by lunging just to cover our asses

Cinder's massive abscess thankfully blew two days after it made itself known. It did take about 10 days to fully drain, but she felt better pretty much immediately. She did get cleared to slowly get back to work while it was still draining, mainly because she was bit of monster in her stall and for her hand walks. The abscess blew during the two atmospheric rivers we got in the PNW so for part of her stall rest no horses got turned out and then it was too muddy to turn her out with a still draining hole in her foot, even with a wrap and a boot. She was only a monster for about a week, and most of her energy was handled with a pre-ride lunge and the pelham. 

Peebs and I celebrated 10 years together this week

Since she's been fully back to work, and regular turnout, Cinder's been great. The contrast between last winter and this is amazing. Last winter she got lunged before every ride and even then she felt explosive. This year, minus the week or so after her abscess, I don't need to lunge and we've been riding mostly in the d-ring mullen mouth. And I even jumped for the first time in six weeks in the d-ring. I think she had had ulcers for much longer than we thought and treating them has really, really helped. She just feels so much more settled mentally and physically. 

A little pre-lesson marinade in her BOT quarter sheet

Trainer M has sent out the proposed show schedule for the year and we have our yearly show team goals meeting next weekend to start planning out our season, which may or may not involve escaping to the desert in two months. What better way to survive The Horrors and the winter weather than to plan a trip south?