Tuesday 13 April 2021

go, go, go

 I feel like things have gone from pretty quiet and predictable, to 11/10 busy this spring.

My work is absolutely crazy right now, and I've got a lot going on outside of work at the moment too. 

The horsey blog relevant things are that lots of riding is happening and I'm in the process of organizing either some clinics or lessons (depending on whether there is enough local interest or whether I will just travel to her). I am reluctant to attempt to organize clinics again, and am most likely going to arrange to just meet somewhere for a lesson, but we'll see. 


In the meantime, we went trail riding all by ourselves and she was very excited, but excellent.

Our Covid situation here isn't currently great and travel outside your community isn't advised. I'm fully on board with riding lessons and shows not being essential so you won't see me out there until we're able to do it safely. Many shows and outings scheduled for this spring/summer have already been cancelled. This of course puts a bit of a damper on my lesson scheduling, but I'll cross my fingers I can get something organized as soon as it's safe to hop back on that ferry.

With shows and out of area clinics off the table this summer, my focus has shifted to buckling down and getting things done at home. 



We've made multiple offers on properties these last couple of years, but the market is red hot and nothing really works out. The last one had 15 competing bids for a 400k listing and finally went for 150k over asking, all in about 24 hours. So, we're going to start work on the World's Tiniest Horse Property this week. I think I've mentioned it before and shown you some plans, but then I got sidetracked :) Anyway, I have a little 1.2 acre property that is zoned for horses. I bought it many, many years ago before I met G. We have been renting the house on it out for the past 15 years or so and the remainder of it sits unused.

 I'll give you a recap post this week and get some before pictures of the disaster that is the 'horsey' part of place. (To give you an idea, I've hired an excavator to clean it up - it's just been slightly overgrown/neglected and there may or may not be a tree fallen on the barn. I've been travelling and living elsewhere a very long time lol).


This is the space I'm working with - I think it ends up being about 3/4 acre, so it's TINY. I wanted to leave a nice yard for the house, and have my access off the back laneway in case we keep the house rented long term. You can see some of the old paddock fencing and the barn.

Plans include upgrading the rustic 'barn' a little, clearing paddocks and planting grass seed, new fencing, and, if I'm lucky, the contractor will be able to fit a riding ring in the back beside the lane! While it's not going to be what I had envisioned having, I am grateful to 'previous me' for getting into the market when I did and I'm super excited about having my own space again. The hope is to move the horses there next fall. 

Bridget's going to be a backyard pony :)




SHARE:

13 comments

  1. You look fantastic on Sophie! As for backyard projects, yeah! Consider doing a small riding ring in the front of the barn that will double as a dry lot when you dont want to ruin your grass, or when the ponies are getting too chubby?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great minds :) That's exactly where it used to be, but there is an apple tree (that is ancient and I'd like to keep) and a pond that limited the available length to about 100' and width to just under 60'. It was OK, but I always regretted not having that bit more space. So the hope is that area will just be a dry lot and hopefully put a new ring in by the lane that will be minimum dressage size. Thank goodness for ponies who don't need any grass :)

      Delete
  2. exciting. and yes no need for extra gas. Sometimes i wish i ddnt have so much damn grass here. I cant wait to hear how it all goes. Also that is nuts 150k over asking price! OUCH

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For three acres of bare land in an average rural area, nothing special about it :(

      Delete
  3. Ooohh I'm so excited to hear more about the property as you work through details.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I went to take some 'before' pictures last night but couldn't actually get to the barn - the brush is so thick! Fingers crossed it's in good enough repair to adapt and reuse. We'll find out when the machines get in there tomorrow, I guess!

      Delete
  4. Replies
    1. It's kind of bittersweet - I kept my horses there many years ago when I lived there and then left for bigger and better plans. So, a bit like coming home, a bit like waving the white flag on the property market here :)

      Delete
  5. I can't wait to see the ponies at home with you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We have great long term tenants there, so we're not planning on moving in. Yay for great tenants, sad for the barn commute continuing! On the other hand, I've been scheming about setting up a work studio space up there...a view of the horses would be nice and it would be great to have my work space out of the house:)

      Delete
  6. Could you buy your neighbors and annex their property? lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My big regret is not buying the one to the south way back when I bought mine...it was 90k more to do that but I was all “A 150k mortgage?...that’s irresponsible!” Lol, silly, naive, me....it’s probably worth 600k now and the mortgage long paid off. It would have been perfect!

      Delete

BLOGGER TEMPLATE MADE BY pipdig