Since I last posted, I've moved my horses twice (yes, I know, that's a lot!), and I am finally THRILLED with where they are boarded. I found a place about 10 minutes from me, where my boys spend about 12-14 hours outside on a daily basis. They are fed a pelleted feed and given quality hay. And I am not working myself to death trying to work off the board fees. Everyone is finally happy!
I've found that even though I've cut down on the amount of barn work I do, I am still very busy! I'm happy if I can ride 4-5 days per week (high expectations, I know!), but sometimes life just gets in the way. Comet and I are back in lessons and working on the barrel pattern--he's very smart and responsive, but because of his age, we may have a few issues to work through with some sore spots. Overall, I'm very proud of how far he has come.
Back in May, the 23rd to be exact, I lost my precious Stubbs due to a fatal heart arrhythmia. Nothing can quite prepare someone to lose such a vital member of their family in such a traumatic way. I miss him every single day, and I attribute the lack of doing anything over the show season, or doing anything concerning life in general, to his passing. He was my best friend, and I'll never have another dog like him.
I in no way intend to ever replace Stubbs, but I wasn't handling an empty house very well, so we welcomed Savage in to our family in June. I've never raised a puppy before, and it was sure eye-opening! He's a great puppy overall, and I'm thankful for the life he has restored to our household.
Savage has quickly wiggled his way into our hearts, even though he incredibly ornery! We work with him on a daily basis to remind him that the cats do not like to be chased up and down the stairs, under the futon, or behind the furniture. He'll get it someday, right?
One of my biggest regrets with Stubbs was not finishing our training to become therapy certified. I feel that Stubbs would have made a perfect therapy dog; he was accepting of every person we met and was so happy all the time. I have had Savage in training since he was first able to start puppy classes and we are now in Advanced Obedience. Savage is not nearly as outgoing and friendly as Stubbs was, but I am determined to get our certification and make a difference for those who need a little bit more happiness in their lives. Savage has already come a long way--we receive compliments every week on how responsive he is and how he is also coming out of his shell and becoming accepting of new people. It's not easy by any means, and each class we pass is bittersweet, as I remember doing them all with my Stubbs. But I know in the grand scheme of things we are doing the right thing.
On a much brighter note, I have become a sponsored rider for a tack shop based out of Sheboygan, Wisconsin!! I am very excited about this opportunity! Jamie offers some quality items at great prices. She offers brands such as Tough 1, Professional's Choice, and Weaver, just to name a few. I've already placed an order for a few items, and I will post a review once the items come in and I get to try them out! In the meantime, if you'd like to place an order, Crazy Cow Tack has a Facebook page where you can check out all of the great products for yourself! If you place an order, be sure to use my discount code, nuttall18, for an extra 10% off!
Thank you for sticking through this long post with me! I will be updating my blog much more often in the coming weeks! Stay tuned!
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