A Gift from Nana

Nana has been known to peruse Craigslist ads from time to time. Not that she's looking to make a purchase; it's more the online equivalent of window shopping. She happened to notice an ad for a reasonably priced kid-safe pony. She sent me a text asking if she bought a pony, would it be able to live with Flash.

She's Not a Toddler, She's a Horse!

I was going to take Shelby and Scarlet to the park after we finished at the barn. On our way out, Shelby seemed less interested in leaving than usual. Nobody else was there. I eyeballed the new round pen. I thought, maybe I'll just let them play in there for a while.

Bringing Baby to the Barn

Shelby's been going to the barn with me almost every day for a long time now. Starting when she was teeny tiny last winter, I would wrap her in my Baby K'Tan and cover us both with a big jacket. She would snuggle against my chest and watch everything. Sometimes she'd sleep the whole time.

What Scarlet Taught Shelby About Dogs

Scarlet has been a spectacular addition to our family from the beginning. She came to us through James' brother, who had her on a week-long trial basis to see if she would cohabitate well with the two dogs they already had. She'd been a solo pet before that. I took one look at her, and she took one look at me, and we knew we belonged to each other.

Sappy, right? But that's how it was.

Finally Back in the Saddle!

The stars must've aligned perfectly and the gods of horse lovers must've been smiling at me, because I've ridden four days in a row this week.

How to Clean a Saddle When a Toddler is on the Loose

I brought home my saddle and bridle to clean. I thought I'd do it while Shelby was sleeping, but the sun came out and I thought, why not clean the saddle while Shelby plays outside? I don't recall seeing this process documented anywhere, so I thought I'd write a quick how-to for anyone who wishes to try it.

Yay for SmartPak!

Flash has been on her new supplements from SmartPak since last Thursday. She gets them in the evenings, so she's only had them three times so far. I wasn't expecting to see any results until she'd been on them for a week or two. But holy maloney, what a difference these supplements have made.

Flash's New SmartPak Supplements

This morning, I took Flash's new supplements from SmartPak to the barn. They arrived yesterday, a day earlier than promised, which is...well, promising. They came in a super fancy storage drawer, which was free. I was expecting some cheap dollar-store-like piece of plastic that would break after being opened and shut twice, but instead I got this heavy duty drawer that looks like it will last a very long time. So far, I'm impressed, but the true test will be Miss Flash. Lately, when I turn her out, she doesn't want to run around like an idiot, and she looks so stiff when she moves. I'm going to keep tabs on her for the next few weeks and see if she improves. (And she better, because Mama wants to go trail riding this summer!)

Supplements & the New Wrap

Flash ran out of MSM and I didn't buy more because I've been planning on getting her on a new joint supplement, something stronger, something more effective. Now, she's a little more stiff. Her gait is a little choppier. But all in all, it turns out that the MSM want doing all that much.

I ordered new supplements from SmartPak. Flash will be having a much better joint supplement formulated for senior horses and a multivitamin formulated for senior horses that eat grass hay. They should arrive on the 20th. A week after that, if all goes well, Miss Flash will be feeling like the equine equivalent of a spring chicken.

Whacked in the Face

Flash was being a little persnickety the other day. She was pulling her "I'm going to nip the air in your general direction so you know I am displeased" routine, which I have zero tolerance for when Shelby is on my back. So I made my "you're in trouble" noise. In anticipation of a slap that wasn't even coming, Flash jerked her head up and away from my free hand, THWACK! right into my face.

A Post from Beyond the Grave

Today, we all went to the barn, but I forgot to bring a baby carrier. So I held Shelby while James cleaned the stall. Shelby got to touch Flash's nose.

I asked Flash, "So, do you think you'll be able to teach this little person to ride someday?"

In response, Flash nuzzled the side of Shelby's neck.

Shelby giggled.

And I died. The cute killed me. Well, almost. If Shelby had kissed Flash's nose, I'da been a gonner for sure.

Is She...Or Isn't She?

Shelby and I have been longeing Flash at least three times a week for a month now. We've been adding longer trot intervals and a few canter intervals, and we've been using the surcingle and side reins once she's warmed up. But the strangest thing has been happening.

Spring is Finally Here

Though it may not look like it, I've been grooming Flash every chance I get. Last week, the pile of fluff left on the barn aisle could've hidden a pony. This week, we're down to five or six bunches on the curry comb. Know what that means? Spring is here!

Where have all the barn moms gone?

I remain completely amazed at the lack of information to be found online about successfully combining early motherhood with horses, riding, and barn chores. I recently started tweeting (you can follow me @stablebaby!) and have found several interesting blogs via Twitter. I thought, surely other horsey moms have blogged about their barn adventures!

The World Won't End if the Dishes Go Unwashed

During the time it's taking to recover from the removal of my very angry appendix, I've been unable to do much around the house, and I came to realize a few things.

I miss my horse!

I haven't been to the barn in almost two weeks. I'm starting to have withdrawals, and so is the puppy dog. Every time someone puts on shoes or a jacket, she gets so excited, jumping up and running to the door. She was accustomed to getting out of the house at least every other day for almost an hour. I think she has cabin fever. If we don't get her out for at least a decent walk soon, she may just explode.

The Appendectomy: Part II

By the time I was settled in a room, it was well after midnight. James decided he and Shelby would stay the night so she could breastfeed on demand, especially since he wouldn't be able to drive and we didn't know when they would take me for surgery in the morning. Poor Shelby just wanted to snuggle and sleep next to me like she does at home, but I had the IV on the left side and the pain on the right side, and the hospital bed was too narrow, anyway. James spent a lot of time walking around the hallways with Shelby in the stroller.

The Appendectomy: Part I

Last Wednesday night, I started feeling a little less than well. James, Shelby and I went grocery shopping, and the whole time we were out of the house, I was feeling more and more bloated and uncomfortable. On Thursday, that bloated feeling gradually changed into a stomach ache that just got worse and worse.

Flash keeps hurting her legs...

Yesterday, I went to the barn by myself (well, not by myself...I had Scarlet, but Shelby stayed home with her daddy) because I had to get hay and grain and our truck isn't big enough to safely transport a baby in a carseat. Flash's legs were fine. They've actually been fine this entire month, and were very close to completely healed.

Beco Butterfly 2 - Success!

Today, I tried my Beco Butterfly 2 carrier at the barn. Up until now, I'd been using my Baby K'Tan, which worked well when Shelby was smaller. Now, she's long enough that her legs get in my way when I'm pushing the wheelbarrow in and out of the stall. She also doesn't like the way she has to turn her head so far to see things when she's tummy to tummy with me, but she can't be forward-facing for stall cleaning.