T-2 TWO DAYS!!

I can't believe it. Tonight is my *last* feeding day at the barn before Moon comes home. Tuesday me and my besties went out for our last trail ride together before we all go home for the summer. It's the weirdest thing; almost like boarding school would be, where you spend all year together except "go home" for the summer to live your individual lives. It makes me excited to see how different we all are when we get back together in the fall.

Last trail ride of the summer with the besties <3

Of course I'll be missing out on the fall pony camping trip since "apparently" it's not appropriate to strap a month old infant to your back and race over the hillside for four days straight ;)

But I'm really, really hoping to be back in the saddle this fall after LO is born, and start a new adventure in riding.

It's bitter sweet going home for the summer. I think it's a little easier knowing that we'll be back in a few months, and that for as busy as summer's are, there's the perk of having Moon right there in my own backyard.

I think back a lot to our adventure together.

I got Moon in 2010, having first met him for the first time SIX years ago now. He was just a little 11 year old boy. Next month he turns 17!  It took me six years to get him home, but oh the adventures we went on while we waited.

I credit H, bestie and owner of the place he currently lives, for really taking me from a horse riding and owner, to a horse care giver. I know WAY more about caring for a horse now then I ever did before. And am more confident in myself about the decisions I make too.

The last week has been total exhaustion preparing for Moon coming home. My family came out on Sunday to slog through the joys of shelter building. I have to say, I'm even more impressed by it then I expected! The hydro posts I got from H last fall worked BEAUTIFULLY for a super sturdy post-framed shelter, and we notched them so that the beams actually sit recessed into them. It's beautiful. The shelter part for Moon is 10'x16', with a nice overhang over the front and back as well. Then I have an extra 8'x10' tack and feed room off the side!!!

I'm beyond excited for the tack and feed room! When I started this whole thing I didn't expect that luxury, but it's going to be awesome. I've already decided that I'm going to put a little window in the best side, a nice door out to the paddock area, and a little "dutch window" that opens over Moon's feed bucket so I can just dump his food right in from inside the shelter!

In the long run, I REALLY want to add some solar panels to the front of the shelter and power some lights :)

Last week I rolled out (by hand...on a 100lb spool) the wires to fence in the sacrifice area. The sacrifice area is a smaller paddock where the waterer, feeders and shelter are, that I can keep Moon in when I don't want him destroying the field because of wetness or the grass being grazed too short. It has gates into three rotational grazing pastures. I also added a gate from the sacrifice paddock out to the "track" that I made run around the outside of the fencing, for my longterm goal of making a x-country track out there :)

So the wires are all hung now a few feet into the bushline, and I'm super pleased with how it looks. I dragged myself out last night to install the last hydro pole I had that wasn't the right size for the shelter and an extra, to make a great little entrance gate beside the shelter :) I like how big and tough it looks, and I really want to put a solid gate there in the long run.

The family is coming back out on Saturday to help finish the shelter since I needs the last of the roof sheathing up, and the girt braces around the outside. And maybe a couple pieces of plywood to kinda section off the tack area.

I still need to drag the water trough into place and fill it. I need to finish one run of wire just to close off the sacrifice paddock, but I wanted to wait until we were done the shelter so we have easier access. I also gathered up all the lumber strewn around, and need to quickly pick up all the wire bits and pieces.

I really can't believe how quickly it's come together. I'm totally in love with the whole set-up right now :)

TWO more days!! Seriously, I can't believe it. Sunday morning I'll wake up and my pony will be in my backyard. To just brush him isn't going to be a 30-minute drive. I can just go snuggle him for five minutes for the hell of it! <3

I'm so excited for this summer. So so excited.

Moon's Shelter, 1/2 built! :D Hopefully finished framing this weekend! (sheathing, kkckboards and tack room finishing still to come!)