By studs I mean the kind the you put in your horse's shoes...for those that were wondering. About six months ago I had a very difficult time keeping a consistent farrier. I'm sure anyone who has ever had a horse can attest to this. I've tried bringing them cookies, sweet tea, and even setting them up under fans in the shade in the summer time. However, when they're just barefoot trimming one horse they just don't make that much money. I get it. My bribery only seemed to get me invitations for a night out, not a consistent trim. So, when Gabe developed a quarter crack after a too long wait between trims I was crest-fallen. I told the barn manager to grab the next farrier that came to the barn to have him done...unfortunately I wasn't there. I'm one of those horse owners that likes to be there for every vet visit, hoof trim, deworming, etc., and this is why. I came back to a trim with a long toe and short heel with the crack notched wide open in the shape of a triangle. The angles themselves would've been great had I been a barrel racer or was planning a sliding stop in the next 6-8 weeks, but that's usually the last thing you want to do in eventing. After that visit I continued to try and contact my past farrier who had been MIA the past 16 weeks, who also trimmed/shoed ~10 horses at that barn. I still could not get him to respond to me, nor was he responding to the other owners. So, when the time came for Gabe's feet to be done, the day before my "almost 1st schooling show", I trimmed them. Minus my back giving out it went really well and made me appreciate farriers that do show up and do a good job. Well, a day after the failed schooling show(another story), I get a call from another owner saying that the MIA farrier came out and I owe him for trimming Gabe.
Though he did say that his feet looked really good...he was surprised since he hasn't been out there in over 16 weeks. He did not call me or ask if my horse needed to be trimmed and now Gabe was lame. I could've punched him. However, I just called and left a voicemail explaining Gabe had just been trimmed the day before and to never trim my horse again without me being there or actually asking him to come and how much he wanted to be paid for laming my horse. I never got a call back. So, many weeks have since past and I have now found a wonderful, consistent, on time farrier! But the quarter crack still hasn't gone away...even with trimming every 6 weeks. Sigh. I've always said I'd know when it was time to put shoes on Gabe. I preferred keeping my horses barefoot. I've seen so many horrific shoeing mishaps to last me a lifetime; bowed tendons, heels being cut open, hoof walls being ripped off. Plus it is much more expensive and you have to have a reliable farrier. Also, unless you want to slip and slide all over cross-country or a grass jumping ring, you're going to have to get those shoes "drilled and tapped" and start using studs. And if your horse over-reaches then they've got to practically live in bell boots the rest of their lives. The whole thing is such a hassle and I was more then reluctant to sign up for it. I actually started to cry the day Gabe had his first shoes put on. I could just envision everything that would go wrong. This is where being Pre-vet and having done a large-animal externship at UGA works against you. However, since Gabe has gotten shoes his crack hasn't moved a centimeter. Awesome. Plus, there's this feeling that came with putting studs in his shoes...it was a nostalgic feeling, like I was becoming a "real" eventer. Kind of like when a baby getting their first shoes and you realize their actually walking. It was one of those moments you realize,"I'm actually doing this". So, shoes and studs it is.
Now for a truck. I've been researching for over a year what kind of truck to get and how I could afford it. The words have been echoing in my head that this was the year I was going to do my first show, or just give up. What does that mean? Practically, it means a horse, a truck, a trailer, and a lot of horse-paraphernalia. Well, I have the horse, some of the paraphernalia and now I have the truck. The experience couldn't have gone better. I remember seeing it in this little lot and thinking in my head, "Oooooo". I asked David if we could stop and look at it after dinner and we did. The dealer was still out there, which we weren't expecting, but he was very nice and not creepy. He even let me test drive hauling with it the next day. The day we bought it David said, "How does it feel?" and I said, "Good". Which is my usually "respond in a non-monologue way when I'm super excited". Then he said, "How does it make you really feel?". Oh, he wants the REAL answer. So, this is something close to how I responded: It makes me feel free and adventurous, knowing I can load up my horse and go anywhere I want. I can just envision the hours of riding in new and different places. It's the thrill of future challenges to come. It's feeling safe on the road. Please, ride my bumper and smash into my hitch. It's the feeling of fulfillment of a dream long dreamed, a hope long hoped. That same day we bought the truck I also bought some new breeches for showing(one of the best equestrian days ever) and I made a very helpful friend at The Farm House who helped me find some breeches for my "curves, curves, curves". She was absolutely delightful and after she found out that I was planning my first show and had just bought a truck, I saw the same look in her eyes that I know is in mine. She said, "Ride for me". Turns out she doesn't have a horse, truck or trailer and that is her dream too. It was a good reminder before I move forward to remember how far I've come and to remember that there are others dreaming to. And that when I do show and I see other who have the best of the best that I shouldn't be intimidated or jealous, but happy for them, that they are living out their dream.
