Q1 Wrap-up and goals moving forward

Well, everyone's goals for 2020 have sure taken a hit, haven't they?  It is still to early to tell if there will be a show season here, but it isn't looking great and that is ok, since it is soooo out of my control.  With our weather, outdoor shows past September are pretty tough, as there aren't a lot of facilities with big indoor arenas set up for shows.   In fact, I don't think there is one in my region at all.

I've already had to pivot on my goals a bit and I added a couple of thing to the list.  Who knows what else will happen this year?  I'm not going to give up on my horse showing goals jussst yet.  We'll wait a bit and see where we end up.

So cute. Might not show this year. If ever...? lol

Q1 is usually quite slow around here anyway due to winter.  No shows, no real training, etc. happens, etc.  

I can't believe my 2020 horse goals didn't have the foal on there?  Sheesh.  That is one thing that (fingers crossed) is going well!And I have new horses goals to add for Q2 and onward.

Q1 Personal:

• read 45 books - I'm at 12 so far
• back up and organize photos (my computer is dying, so this is urgent!) - meh - this is ongoing. Does anyone have any tips on fun ideas with digital photos? I don't want stacks of prints lying around!
• volunteer somewhere horse-y - on hold due to coronavirus
• save $$ for foal hopefully coming in 2021 - this is going well, since I'm at home and not spending any money!
• exercise program of some sort  - started walking 3-4 times / week
• stick to a budget - this is one silver lining of the pandemic/SIP - spending is almost down to zero!

Q1 - Horses:  

• start working Fred in hand, where possible - I was able to start this in March
• Copper - stay healthy - CHECK!
• get Lucy in foal - CHECK!!  We had the 45 day ultrasound a couple of weeks ago and all looks good!
• New! find a second mare for my friend to breed and potentially ride 
• New! find a bridle that fits Fred properly
• New! get Fred more comfortable in a bit, if not try a hackamore
• read/listen to some horse training material - podcasts, youtube, books etc - hard to quantify, but I read a bunch of interesting horse books back in January
• clean and oil tack - um, no progress in Q1 - I have high hopes for Q2
• continue to declutter and sell unused tack - um, no progress in Q1 - I have high hopes for Q2 and the rest of the year

work on selfies should maybe be a goal?  lolz

I don't have much going on right now, but I do have my horses at home, so having some extra time at the barn has been a real important thing for me.  I have lots I can do out there and this type of stuff is what I normally try and get done over the course of the year, as I have time.  Now though, having a bit more time in one chunk had me starting an updated to do/goals list for the barn for Q2:

• clean and organize my hay storage area
• fix and bury fence ground wires - DONE!
• check pasture fence and come up with a plan to have fence fixed by mid-May
• source some 2nd cut hay
• clean and organize tack
• try and figure out a bridle/hackamore option that fits Fred
• repaint jump poles (note: not sure I can get any paint, so this might have to wait)
• clean and put away winter blankets
• put away the trough heater and extension cord
• clean the tack room 
• daydream about tack room renos/updates
• clean cobwebs/windows/shelves

Random Archie photo, cause why not?

I'm sure this list will evolve the longer I'm at home, but this is my starting point.  Nothing is urgent, but all these nice-to-haves will make the barn tidier and more organized.

What about you guys? Are you still hoping for some 2020 goals to work out? Have you made some changes?  

The latest happenings at BBQH HQ!

*editor's note:  I started this post 2 weeks ago! 
Here are a few updates from the past couple of weeks:

We got 100 bales of 1st cut tucked in the barn (yeah!) and I even used my truck for the first time to get a round bale!  I love having a truck, even though it is a small one.

Lil' Red being a farm truck!

My friend/boarder and I started fixing the electric fence too.  Fred has broken the electric rope in 3 places so far this spring, so it was time!  We fixed the spots he trashed and then we replaced all the wiring from the barn to the start of the circuit and even dug up one of three grounding rods to replace the wiring.

Since Fred wrecked the fence, he gave himself some rope burn on both pasterns.  *sigh*  I've been doctoring it, but the left hind gets a little puffy on me if I don't stay on top of putting ointment on it.  And to make matters worse, I noticed Fred was limping a bit this past week - not super lame, but definitely NQR. I was hoping it was just the rope burn bugging him or at worst an abscess. Sure enough Monday morning the farrier was out and was able to open up an abscess on his the sole of his RH.  Fred seems to like being kept in his stall and all the attention and food he has been getting, but his leg was swelling too much being kept in, so I tossed him outside last night to see if that would help get the fluid moving.  It looks much better this morning, thankfully.

Bingo - abscess on the RH and rope burn.  And a puffy R leg. Oh Fred...

 Trying to get pictures with a giant cuddly 4yo gelding is tough. 

Oh hai!  Do you has fud?  Fred, probably.

Fred has been in the barn for his legs lately, but as well to keep Bailey company. Bailey somehow cut his lip open and needed some stitches.  It was one of those injuries that we can't quite figure out. My hunch is that he was rubbing his face on his leg and cut it on the nails of his shoe. He has been pulling shoes like crazy and one had nails sticking out.  Horses, I tell ya - always keeping us on our toes!

partially healed cut - he's blown 4/5 stitches, but hopefully it is healing

Spencer is totally judging those horses that get hurt all the time - he would *never* do something so silly as to get hurt at his advanced age.  Lol  He has a big scar on his face from an injury when he was young, so I guess he learned his lesson?  I was trying to get a picture of his scar to show you guys, but I had a hard time with the light and with photo bombers!!

Not 1, but 2 photobombers!

I have my fingers crossed that Fred is back to being sound now that the abscess has done its thing.  Having a hospital ward going for these guys is a lot of work!

Things are moving along!

Things are finally picking up around here!  Even though the weather people are dubbing this month as "Jun-uary" (it was 4C/39F this am) I'm getting stuff done and feeling a bit more excited about horses and riding in general.

This week is "get r done" week:

• Monday - sheath cleaning by a professional (I can do it, but sometimes like a professional to get in there and do a 100% top notch job!)
• Tuesday - mobile sharpening lady is coming to sharpen all the clipper blades. How convenient is that? 
• Wednesday - vet day!  Teeth and shots and then the boys will be ready to go.
• Thursday or Friday - harrow the riding ring!

I think I might even try and ride this weekend!! Holy cow!  My ankle is better and with a brace it doesn't hurt much. I finally feel like swinging a leg over - Spencer, not Fred, lol I don't have a death wish!

And we have been getting a lot done around the house/property.  I love having my horses at home.  I had horses at home as a kid, boarded for years and now we have been at our little farm (15 acres) for 7 years now!  We fixed the front pasture fence and even mowed under the fence line.

So the boys have been out on the front pasture for a couple of weeks now - yeah for grass! - so they are very happy.  I usually don't have to electrify that section of fence since they are too busy eating. However, I didn't take into account a certain 4yo giraffe who wants the grass on the other side!  Needless to say, we'll be running some juice to that fence this weekend!

And, I got all excited about spring/summer jobs around the farm and wrote up a list of stuff I want to do.  I love to-do lists and crossing stuff off!

Getting my ring harrowed is the next thing I NEED to get done before it goes wild on me.   This is where an ATV or gator would be super helpful, as I can't get my truck back there until it is dried up a bit.  Putting the ring way in the back seemed like a good idea at the time, but it is a bit hard to get to with a truck when we have a wet spring.

First harrow with my truck last year. 

I'm also weirdly excited to do an inventory of all my tack and "products" and get everything cleaned up and organized.  I feel like I have a ton of grooming and tack cleaning products that I never finish. I have half full bottles of all kinds of stuff laying around.  One of my goals this year is to use up as much as possible before I buy anything new, unless it is essential - like fly spray or something.

Realistically, by the time I get some/all/a few (LOL) of these little jobs done, it will be fall or winter or 2020.   I don't mind though, since maintenance and upkeep is important to keep the horses safe and the property looking presentable.