The unfortunate truth.

The unfortunate truth is:

...I haven't been riding in over a week. Yes, once again the sad truth is my pony is sitting neglected in a field. I haven't even visited him, and it makes me pretty sad. I feel like I'm sitting here undoing all my hard work these past couple of weeks on him, and there's nothing I can do.

Why am I not riding my fur-beast? My weekends are engulfed in renovations and yardwork to the point where I wake at 7 am and work until sundown. Considering I'm not getting paid and for some crazy reason I consider this a 'hobby', I have come to the conclusion that I'm nuts. Monday was *supposed* to be my lesson day on one of W's horses, but the heat and humidity were unbearable. We wound up cancelling, and I ended up grocery shopping and making a gift basket for a close friend who recently lost her home in a house fire (our hearts are still with them, though all the furbeasts also made it out safe and sound).

Tuesday I was off to my sisters to get fitted for a bridesmaid dress, which took an unbelievable 3 hours. Then the BF's mom came out to drop off her dog who we'll be looking after for the next 7 days.

Yesterday? I got my first initiation into Horse-Sitting. Close friends are off on holidays, and we'll be looking after their horses, boarders, dogs, cat and house for 5 days. It's going to be a lot of fun, especially getting to wake up in the morning and feed ponies, or wander outside and go for a horseback ride. And be closer to Moon, though I don't think I'll have a chance.

Tonight I'm going to TRY desperately to get out to Moon, as I need to find a place to hang a horse head.

Yes, you heard me correctly.

I finally got ahold of his trial vet (she's very nice based on our phone conversation, but it took 3 days to call me back...actually, 3 days of me calling to get her on the phone), and she let me know that they like to use a rope throw over a rafter, overhead gate, etc. to tie the horse's head up at a good working height, rather then try and hold it up by hand. Makes sense I suppose.

She assured me that he doesn't need to be kept off food before hand, though until the sedation wears off, he should avoid hay to prevent choking.

She also said she'd give him a thorough exam before she sedated him, so I should get a sense of "how he is". The foreboding question, as a horse owner who bought without any professional opinion. I truly suspect it will be rather uneventful, as he's solid, dependable and hasn't given me any trouble in the time I've known him. Who knows for sure though, right?

If I can manage it and the weather is cool, I might put him through his figure-8 paces tonight, and then try and get a short ride in tomorrow before his teeth as well. We have a crazy busy weekend planned at home (more work) straight through our Monday off. Tuesday I'm consigned to a bridal shower for my sister, which unfortunately means I won't be on Moon again until next Wednesday's lesson. I *might* see if I could squeeze two lessons in next week, and maybe get back in the pace of things. Who knows...

Stay cool my friends; it's hot out there!