Long Weekend

I found this on FB the other day and was able to go there to get it later that same day & bought it for $1,000.  I'm stinking excited about that.

This is directly out of the barn.

And this is at home before being washed.

Very dusty. I hadn't realized they had shocks and springs but this will make for a nicer ride.

There are a few things that need repairs and we're going to be working on them:

Black polycarbonate, also needs a piece in front of the tool area, under the front of the seat. The drivers seat has damage & it too needs to be fixed.

I'm sure the wheel hubs need grease, brakes checked and shocks checked out. 

Lan also found the double tree for the marathon cart, up in her barn above the tack room behind a bunch of other junk. Getting into that tack room was a chore, we had to go through the back of the barn and the old man had been a hoarder and never got rid of anything. 

This harness came with it and I'm sure they had it connected incorrectly, I *think* that strap behind the tug isn't supposed to be connected to the breeching. It doesn't matter, I'm going to put the wooden cart back together and put this harness with it and sell it as a set.

I found this cart online Thursday and we went to see it that night, and I paid her $100 down to hold it. 

We went back Friday to pick up the cart and at that time Lan asked if we could buy this lean-too for $100 and she accepted. 

So we returned Saturday to get that. That's when Lan found the biothane harness and I took it because the cart came with a harness, which I didn't take. I did find another saddle & didn't take it but should have. Oh well.

Paying $100 for this lean too was crazy as the panels are at least $200 new, they have no rust and are heavy duty. There are 3 panels, plus the roof is in good enough shape to reuse. One roof panel is broke and I think we need to replace it with a center strip of clear or opaque so we have more light in it. 

We are planning on putting the cart and Kenny under this lean too, behind the barn.

 

Sigh

We drove the hour to Shelton for the tack sale, minutes before we arrived I got a text from the saddle fitter, she was there and had her eye on a Tucker saddle so when we arrived the first thing we did was use the cut outs to measure and it looked pretty dang close to a fit. So Lan & I drove all the way back home, loaded up Amble and hauled her to Shelton to check.

And it didn't fit.

I mean, it fit really well but Amble is just so round that the saddle rocked side to side, no matter what pads or shims we tried. Two hours. And still no saddle.

Don't laugh, we were changing the stirrup length.

I will hold onto the cash ($900) and put it toward a cart but I still need to ride so I'm thinking its going to be with a bareback pad. 

I'll Ride Anyway

I don't have a saddle but I'll try to ride anyway.

 

Motivation

I'm trying to stay motivated, trying to keep the house in order and actually clean it up some. I took an extra day off yesterday and got the kitchen clean and started on a couple piles on the kitchen table. My house is not a pig sty, but with both of us working full time during the short days and we easily let things go and it ends up taking a full day once a month to get it in order again.

I am going to bring the horse cart up to the patio and begin taking it apart to sand and refinish it. 

I do need to take more photos too.

 

Dirty Feather

 Black Orchid Ambleside

Shes got a lot of feather but thankfully not as much as so many Gypsys. It's enough to be impressive and gorgeous but at the same time not too heavy and cause problems.

On Thursday we're going to have a visitor, Stephanie will be coming over to help me get our harness sorted, the biothane harness I purchased for $900 & had shipped here from southern California. I know its got 3 pieces missing, 2 of which are the ones that will attach it to the cart. Stephanie is also going to be teaching me how to drive, since Amble already knows how to be driven.

The photo above is Amble with semi clean feather and tail, which this IS NOT a current thing. She hasn't had them washed off in quite some time and I do not want them dirty when Staphanie arrives. So on Wednesday afternoon, after I get home from work, I am going to give them a good washing.

I will be taking the Dawn dishwashing soap to the barn with me and I will follow directions I have had written down and attached to my computer monitor for over 10 years.

1. Wash tail

2. Condition.

3. Soak in white vinegar

4. Using Dawn, wash feather, deep down to her skin, watching for anything in there that might irritate her or cause concerns.

5. Wash, rinse, condition again

6. Leave in conditioner, aka Cowboy Magic

I'll leave her overnight in her stall with a deep bed of shavings. In the morning they will be dry and fluffy and as long as there were no issues noticed while washing, I will brush them out let her hang out in the arena till noon, when Stephanie arrives.

In November I had the riding instructor over to give ME a lesson & Amble bucked her off. I do not know if that was due to an ill fitting bit since I have a 5.5" and need a 6" or if it was the saddle not fitting properly. So I have ordered a saddle pad with shims. 

This is a dressage pad but I am hoping it will work with she short western saddle. I could not find any in a pony length.

Another Year Older

and deeper in debt.

I turned 63 years old yesterday.

I've never been so far in debt in my entire life; first ever brand new car payment, a second home that's a total rehab, medical bills like I've never had before and a horse in very expensive training.

But the brand new car is our truck and its a tool much needed on the farm. We've hauled/pulled trailers more miles than without, its got 4x4, A/C that works, 4 doors for ease of access, 12 cup holders and already its got 10,000 miles. 

Our second house, in Pioche, Nevada

And medical issues

Ambleside is now ridable but I have to upgrade my tack to go forward. 

The house is coming along, the truck is holding its own, my belly is all better and Amble needs a few tack changes before I can attempt to ride again. Her bit isn't big enough, she needs a 6" and her saddle needs to fit better.  I had a gal, a trainer, come give her a lesson and she got bucked off. I thought it was her just asking too much too fast, now I think maybe the saddle hurt or the bit pinched.