Back on dry ground

Well I took my lunch to zip over GB Eq Center (the one close to work where Lola was last fall) and I was amazed that after the flooding we had last week, the paddocks were dry! There is still a patch right at the front fence line of each that had deep, half-dried mud, the kind that is dry and crusty on top, but still soft enough that the horse sinks in a little. I don't think this will be too bad.

The arenas are mostly dry, but in terrible need of dragging, and both have little puddle "bogs" where the water has been sitting so long it has turned green. Yuck. I can ride around that, and once they get back into a dragging routine that will slowly get groomed away.

I am thrilled to have her back out in the open. To be honest, her stall at the last place never seemed dry this last month. Either they weren't stripping it often enough, or the wet ground from excessive rain was not allowing it to drain. Either way she has a nasty case of thrush in one of her front frogs. Blech. And of course wet stalls means she's breathing in pee fumes. Also gross.

Of course the best of it is that she has WAY more freedom to move, which is ideal for managing the PSSM. Plus turning her out to gallop and buck in the smallish arena there at the barn just isn't as satisfying as letting her gallop all out in the big jumping arena at this place!

Best of all, because I'm selfish and busy, she's back to being only two miles from work. I can get out there at lunch to see her. I can still go out to ride no matter how late I get off work, so no more excuses that by the time I get out there it will be 8pm. No more getting home at 11pm because the barn is 35 minutes from work then 35 minutes back to the house.

Oh, maybe even better than best of all, I can have my dressage trainer come to me again. I LOVE having my lesson at home! I appreciate her arena for sure, and trailering her is good for helping her adjust to getting out and doing things. But it takes so stinking long! Hook up, load up, drive slowly and carefully there, guaranteed to take an hour no matter how quick and efficient I try to be. Then I have to do it all over again to get home! Having the trainer come to me is SUCH a treat. With time as limited as it is, having that travel time wiped away means I might even find time to ride Bear, or plan this wedding that is fast approaching, or just plain spend time with my honey. None of my time with the horses is EVER a waste of time. But driving them definitely is!