The Reveal

What a weekend.

We all love a good Montel Williams episode where they take your average joe gal, and transform her into a runway goddess. There's that moment when she breaks through the fabric curtain of her former self and stands before the audience looking phenomenal. And suddenly we all have hopes that we too can go from the ugly duckling to that beauty queen.

You can pretend that you don't enjoy a good Montel episode, but you do. So today, we present:

MONTEL WILLIAMS

PRESENTS:

TRANSFORM YOUR TRAILER EPISODE

Back in 1974, a beautiful trailer was born. It wasn't anything awestriking to the eye, but it encompassed some truly unique features. Like that front-exit door, the bright fibreglass roof and that rolled rear bumper...

The Blair Standard 60's baby picture...

Years later, life had treated it roughly and there's no doubt it had undergone a few face lifts as time had passed. The layers of paint required to keep her pretty had grown, and she was showing signs of wearing out. The rust was bleeding through, the roof was covered in moss and the fabric that covered the wells was torn and faded.

What had become of this beautiful trailer?

Yet a girl fell for the weathered good looks. This was a hearty trailer, compact enough to tuck away in the off season, perfectly sized for her perfectly sized pony. She couldn't get over her front exit door, and at $900, who could pass her up?

Her roof, flooring, doors, trim, everything was removed. The local "welders surgeon" (aka. plastic surgeon) repaired her rust perforations, repaired the worst spots, and even went to far as to upgrade her. She now sported a new hitch, new tow chains and a more open stock style. Removable doors, and blocker plates on those rear wells.

Then she was stripped and left fully exposed, taken to the local sandblasters for a complete overhaul. The sand blaster went over every inch, from top to bottom, every wheel well, front and back of rims, everything.

She was left looking ragged and naked for just $300.

But that wouldn't last long. That very same day she was picked up and hauled to a local paint booth. JUST before the rain it. Which meant she was nearly 100% rust free.

The custom metallic blue paint was purchased, along with a high build epoxy primer. The primer was high adhesion and direct to metal, and strangely tacky until it dried. Solid.

This isn't your "spray can" rustoleum paint. This is THE STUFF. On top of the primer went that custom polyurethane paint. This stuff is COOL. It dries to almost a "plastic" coating, and even now, the rain beads off of it. And yes, it's metallic. It has tiny beads of sparkle in it. And yes, I left the tiniest patch of original paint with the technician to color match. And the BF and Dad spent the WHOLE day painting (prep, primer, 2 coats of paint = 12 hours straight! Plus 1 trip to A&W and many trips to Timmies for coffee!).

Do you think it was a success? 

AND

NOW

FOR

THE

REVEAL

...

Yes, she's gorgeous.

Really, really gorgeous.

The tires will hopefully be replaced in June (and will no longer be blue!). The lug nuts were even repainted blue! The paint needs 7 days to dry, so next weekend I can put the floorboards back in and start getting her back together!

The BF has agreed to redo her wiring, and I'm currently so caught up in her beauty that I'm contemplating putting LED lighting on her. The old lights were all worn out, rusted or broken. So she's getting new ones. And LED would be sooo pretty... ; )

It's wonderful to be back to the point where we put her back to her full beauty. I'm not sure I'm ever gonna want to load my pony, considering how shiny and bright she is!

I'm also hunting for the "right" decal/magnetic sticker to complement her. : )

Now, I DID get a ride in despite all the activity of the weekend...

Friday evening.

After feeding horses, I hopped on Moon for a ride. I was having a bit of "a day" and decided to try Moon in a sidepull instead of a bitted bridle.

At first, I was amazed. He seemed to actually round over his back and it was like riding a different horse. I was stunned. Seriously contemplating riding him only bitless for awhile in hopes of strengthening his back and teaching him how I'd like him to move.

And suddenly, it all disappeared.

Now keep in mind, I'm bareback still, so it's questionable what went wrong.

BUT, based on the thunder that started booming in the distance, and the lightening flashing in the sky...and the fact all the other horses headed into their shelters...

...one has to wonder if MAYBE he got high headed and stopped paying attention to me BECAUSE of the impending bad weather. I can't really say. I CAN say that he wouldn't stop staring off towards his paddock... : P

So I dismounted and called it over.

BUT, I came to a crazy decision earlier this week that Mr. Moon will sport button braids at all future shows. I'll go crazy if another running braid comes undone on me during a show! Especially if it's a sanctioned show.

We've got a funshow coming up in 2 weeks, and it'll be out 'practice' session for braids.

Which means...

We started pulling.

: O

I know, it looks horrible. But I'm just doing a little bit each time I'm out riding, after we ride. I plan to get it shorter, have a look, and then pull even shorter if needed.

I spent a lot of time wondering if it's a bad idea with his outdoor life, but we're planning a rather intense show season, and we might as well do it right. He can grow the mane back next year, and we all know I'll be coating him in fly spray, masks and blankets anyway : P

Goodbye gorgeous mane...

A lot of folks will be sad. But hey, they say it grows back fuller, right?

Might not get a ride in until Wednesday's lesson. Oye.

But I got all the fiberglass repaired on the trailer roof!!! : )