Horse Shows

If you know me very well, then you know several things about me. You know that I tend to be very imaginative, I tend to be very competitive and I like to show horses. From 1996 to 2001, my mom and I showed horses pretty much non-stop all spring and summer long. There were several years in college when we showed a lot too. Its hard to believe that it was 15 years ago when we started showing minis.

When I moved the ponies to Pennsylvania, I intended on starting to show them. However, despite being only about 30 miles from one of the biggest Shetland and mini trainers in the country, there is a shortage of horse shows to go to. In the Midwest, you were only limited by the number of miles you were willing to drive and the number of weekends you could get off.

When I found a horse show in reasonable distance from here, I got pretty excited. I had already been working on getting Nell driving and now I had a reason to step up my training. And purchase a cart.

However, when I got the show bill for the one day show on August 7^th, I was sorely disappointed. There were no jumping or obstacle classes. This meant that I wasn’t going to take Cody. Cody’s conformation is lacking and he essentially would be a waste to show in halter. I’m not going to pad someone else’s points. I could show Nell in halter but there’s not really any point since she already is in the HOF for that. So that leaves me with color, costume and driving classes-there are about three or four.

Okay, so how am I going to get the horses to this show four hours away? BF said I could borrow his horse trailer. So I would need a hitch for my car (this is assuming that my car could pull BF’s trailer, though he seems to think it can.). A trailer hitch runs about $35.

Then the show entries-four to five classes-$88-100 plus office fee $5. We can show out of the trailer and if Nell is the only one, an extra bag of shavings (about $7) will provide a comfortable bed in the back. If Joe wants to show, I’ll have to get him an ASPC membership which will be about $75 or $80.

Then there are the other things that we would need to bring with us-hay and grain-I’ll borrow that from the barn. A jug for water which apparently isn’t in my store-but runs about $10. Then a water bucket ($4) and grooming supplies-hoof polish ($9), show sheen ($9), whitening shampoo ($11), baby powder ($2), baby oil ($3), hair gel ($4), Just for Men hair dye ($8). I think I have most if not all of the other stuff I would need. Except clippers. I really need clippers ($200).

If I show in halter, I will need a show halter. I can show in a nylon one but its pretty much frowned on. A show halter runs about $75-$100. I’m not really planning on showing in halter. If I put Nell in color, I can and will use a nylon one for that. And I still need some parts for my harness-a cavesson ($22-$44), an overcheck ($20) and maybe some longer reins ($36). Of course, Nell has never driven with an overcheck. And she actually has only been hitched twice. Hmmm…

And the cart. Well, the cart is literally a wreck. Joe thinks he can get it fixed in a week. Some sand paper, varnish, foam padding, velvet for the seat, some buttons, some spray paint. I figure probably $100 will do it. Hopefully, $100 and one week.

If I decide on entering the costume class, I would need to make a costume. Luckily, I finally thought of one. A fish (the pony) and a fisherman. I figure if I dress as the fisherman, I can borrow Meg’s fishing stuff and just wear my own stuff underneath. Cost for that-free! Then I need to make the pony a costume. Other than time, I think I can probably get it done for about $30. And maybe I can do a little costume for the dog (a corgi) too. Either another littler fish or fisherman.

And of course, we’d have to bring some food and stuff. Plus gas. So I figure probably $120 for those.

So what’s the final tally here? Like just under $700. Providing that Joe doesn’t want to show (which he probably will then get cold feet) and we don’t get the expensive cavesson or reins. Okay, so essentially, it will be impossible for us to go to this horse show. There just isn’t any money. Slowly, I think we can prepare for a show next spring or summer. Pick up the clippers here (I guess I could borrow some), fix up the cart there, some grooming supplies here and there. It just isn’t going to happen, much to my disappointment.

Well, at least I know that I won’t make Joe made with my competitive edge and that I won’t kill myself in the cart trying to get Nell ready too fast.

Stan

This isn’t a blog in tribute to the Eminem song by the same name but a blog about our neighbor across the street.

Stan is this little old man that lives in a small house across the street from us with his wife Lil and their dog (Its either Coco or Snuggles. Whichever one it is, then the other one was put to sleep sometime late last year. I think it had bad Cushings.)

Anyway,  Stan’s favorite pastime is to observe the going ons in the neighborhood and provide commentary on them. I know what he tells us so I can only imagine what he says about us to others.

When we first moved here, Stan and Lil greeted us and let us come into their house to enjoy a brief break from the heat in the AC. It was welcomed.

Since then, Stan visits us occasionally, doing small tasks and bringing us unusual gifts. He also feels slighted if we don’t wave at him when leaving or getting the mail.

For example-Stan is very hard of hearing. You constantly have to yell or repeat yourself. However, one morning as I tried to hurry off to work last summer. Stan came over with a bottle of WD-40. He apparently is hard of hearing but could hear the sound of my squeaking car door.  Another time, as I was hurrying off to work, the doorbell rang, which of course set off the dogs. There was Stan bearing a Wal-Mart sack with mayo and mustard in it. I wasn’t going to pass up mayo since it was on our grocery list.

Since then, Stan has made regular gifts of fish, deer meat and vegetables. He has watered our flowers and taken in our mail when we were on vacation. He has provided us entertaining gossip about our neighbors.

When Joe quit smoking, it made Stan rather lonely. There were numerous weekend mornings when Joe was still in bed that Stan came and visited me twice in half in hour. That’s too much Stan for me to take. He even asked me if Joe was mad at him because he hadn’t seen him.  Sort of cute. He also told me to stop making him cakes. He likes pie. I guess that was a hint but unfortunately, pie is not my forte.

That’s Stan. Lil is a little more standoffish. She likes to stand in the door and judge. Maybe she isn’t judging but she looks like she is.

Anyway, its probably good that we have neighbors like that. Since we’ve had the house closed up for a couple of days with the AC on, I expect Stan to ring the doorbell any moment now.

July 5th Really Is the Best Holiday

Ugh.

I finally have my day off. This after a long four days on call. Of course, I ended up working some this morning too.

Friday, went well enough. I was off in the morning and then I worked that afternoon. I euthanized my first two appointments and then ran around crazily for the rest of the day. That night before even leaving the building, I fielded a call regarding a dog with vomiting. Then I went home where I received the call that the remaining three dogs in a litter from which I had euthanized a parvo positive pup, were coming down with vomiting and diarrhea. Brought into me were three very happy puppies. One of which chewed through her IV line not once but three times while we were there. With an e-collar too. Nearing 11pm, I had the three pups squared away and I went home. Of course, in the middle of this, a non-client (I think we see his pets, not his horses) called looking for advice.

Saturday, I worked but had to stop in and take care of the parvo pups first. I very effectively cleaned kennels and did treatments in just under an hour. Then I went to work where I realized all of the stuff that I was to bring to the clinic was at my house in my fridge and my work phone was there too. I called and called home but Joe never answered meaning that when I managed to stop by after vaccinating a horse, he got the wrath of an angry Leslie. He was very apoligetic.
After work, I met up with April and we took care of the parvo dogs again. They were in an assortment of good spirits. Throughout the day, I fielded an assortment of phone calls for kittens with diarrhea, dogs that ate huge doses of prednisone, dogs that needed prescriptions refilled at Wal-Mart, etc.[EDIT] I also got a call from one of the ladies that runs the rescue that the pups were from. Apparently, the house they came from had 17 other puppies in it and now they were starting to vomit and have diarrhea. She wanted to know if I could make a housecall. I didn't think so but I verified with my boss. It was too far away for me not to be available for other clients and large animal clients too. I did end up running into the clinic and selling a bottle of odansetron for the vomiting. Hopefully, that helped! [END EDIT] On my way to check on the parvo dogs at 9pm, I got another emergency call for a dog with hives. I treated it quickly and was back to Carlisle in about an hour. Once there, I noted that one of the parvo pups had started looking a little poorly so gave him some extra treatments and told Joe when I got back that he'd have to help me.

Sunday, Joe and I treated the parvo dogs and during which I got a call for an emergency coggins test-a copy needed to be made. I went down to Newville and probably after a long hour, finally found the test and made a copy. Then back to treat the puppies. At this treatment, I discovered that what I thought had been a slow drip had managed to empty nearly a whole bag into a pup. He didn't appear worse for wear though he looked pretty  bad anyway. I continued to field calls about animals with GI upset recommending bland diets and time. I sent a non-client to the emergency clinic.

Monday, I had to work for a few hours for emergencies at 7am so I went and treated the pups at 6am! We were still struggling with getting two of them better at this point. Those two had bounced around between good and bad for a while and now were distinctively bad. Then at work, I put down two animals before going home. On the way home, a woman called with a sick dog but they were in Ocean City and wanted some advice. I had considered relinquishing my pup duties over to a tech for the afternoon (at this point, I was mentally and physically exhausted) but I didn't want to deprive any of their day off either. I'm just that nice. That afternoon just before going in to take care of the pups, I got the pleasure of trying to examine a really mean dog. He was a jerk. He got meds and sent home. If you're well enough to attempt to bite me, then you are well enough to go home. Two more times of treating the parvo dogs and my day was almost over.

This morning, I got up, took the truck back to Newville, came back to Carlisle for one last treatment of the pups before washing my hands of them. As I pulled in, I got a phone call. It was the lady from Ocean City. They had came home early because the dog was still very sick. I told her that I would see her this morning if she was okay seeing me in my shorts. She was especially since she didn't want to wait till the afternoon. We had some hard discussions about her little sick dog and tried treating her. I hope little Annie makes it. Then we treated the puppies. Two of them were doing horribly and I made the phone call that decisions had to be made. Before leaving, they were and the two puppies were sent to dog heaven. I was there till 11. On my day off.

It was a hard and long weekend. Unfortunately, I didn't see that many emergencies so I didn't end up making that much of a bonus. I guess I will make a decent one from the pups but still...

Oh, and I had a dream where I was in vet school again (all that tech work treating those puppies I guess) and I was on call. I got a call from Tim Ferrell's (from Ludo) about her sick dog. There was something about snowing too.