Wednesday 12 May 2021

New Doors From Old Doors

 Over the past 2 years this space has changed from eventing and dressage in the big city to more low key rural horse keeping. Now I seem to be on a pony foal and property renovation tangent that shows no sign of slowing. Apologies if that's not your thing. 

As always the longer term plans are to get back out competing and being serious about this riding business, but I've found myself at a place where B does best keeping it easy (and owes me absolutely nothing) and S isn't (in my opinion) physically or mentally ready to really be 'serious' quite yet. Slow miles are the name of the game for both of them and honestly I'm right there with them. I'm finding myself hacking out on the same few loops from the barn a few times a week and avoiding planning anything 'official'.  That's not exciting programming for you, but certainly therapeutic for us.


Proof of life. I seriously need to measure her, I swear she's grown again.

Plus Covid. While things are headed in the right direction, the out of town trips to shows or lessons likely won't be resuming any time soon. Many of the events I had tentatively eyed up this summer have already been cancelled.

I continue to waffle over breeding. I was so committed this winter (I've paid for the stud fee and even bought a trailer!) but I'm leaning towards not trying this year, just given the current flight/travel logistics and the fact I have a 3 year contract. 


Currently just one flight a day between the vet's and breeder's cities, and it's going to take 21 hours at best. 

Of course I'm distracted by all the 'ready made' foals appearing on everyone's media. I may or may not have made enquiries re: foals (thanks again Jen for enabling ;). I won't even post the pictures of another possibility I was sent because I know you all can't be trusted to be voices of reason and not enable that purchase!

So, with everything kind of sort of in a holding pattern, what to do to fill the pony obsession void (that won't result in late night impulse foal purchases)?


I saw this door free on the side of the road a while back. Totally confirming my weirdness, of course I stopped and picked it up, who doesn't need a spare door or two? :D 

 

Repainted  to be my tack room door. Now it looks like I had a plan all along!

Barn and property improvements! LOL I can feel your excitement from here. Barn door designs are a hundred times more interesting than foal photos, am I right?  


Hay storage door to be made from scrap lumber.


Realizing I've inadvertently created something trendy. 

I really am absolutely loving it though. I felt like going back to the old barn might feel a bit like I'm settling (after so many years of dreaming and looking for the perfect place to buy and build on) but no...not really. I find the odd thing kicking around that makes me a little sad/sentimental about a horse I used to have or a part of life I had all planned out that never worked out as I had hoped, but overall it just kind of still feels like home. I'm excited to move the horses back in and have my own space to use as I see fit.

This week I'm replacing the junky old swinging exterior doors with slightly-less-junky doors on sliding tracks. I've also been raking up all the sticks and debris from clearing and planting grass seed.


Trendy hay storage scrap wood door is now uniformly blue and far less trendy. (And is also awaiting more sliding door hardware AND another piece of fascia)

But you know what's even more exciting than barn door designs? 

Planting grass seed! 

OK, I really am kidding this time. See you next week!


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9 comments

  1. I didn't know of your blog when it was more "dressage in the big city", but I really enjoy what you write about :) maybe I sense a kindred spirit with home horse-keeping and just dinking around having fun for the moment? Looking forward to continue following along no matter which direction you choose to take and write about!

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  2. I for one am loving your "tiny barn" renovation posts. I'm probably not a typical dressage person though, in that I LOVE repurposed, reclaimed(good looking blue doors!), And charming over super fancy and bland. Can't wait to see the whole thing done. Might be a good blog hop for the future...

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  3. That door really looks amazing, nice work! And I hear ya on only wanting to write about the stuff you care most about -- imo that’s the most compelling content to read anyway. I’ve never been much of a foal nut (too preoccupied with wanting to do horsey adventures like RIGHT NOW lol) so no enabling from this corner… tho, I still remember that mare you used to love riding at your old trainer’s place. If I were gonna splurge to fill a void in my horsey life, guaranteed it’d be on a horse like that -- something ready to go in my desired direction today

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  4. I, for one, am LOVING your barn update/ pony update blogs. We are so similar in many aspects of our lives/ horse keeping, and it makes me happy to see someone else succeeding and doing all the things. I especially love your tenacity, because it pushes me to keep going <3

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  5. I loooove your barn update blogs. That door looks so cool!

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  6. I love those doors!!! I'm all for recycling old things. I love following along with these changes so keep on posting about them.

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  7. I love the barn updates/renos! I'm always at least looking up DIY stuff (not actually doing much of it lol) so I enjoy reading about that stuff as it relates to horses.

    Your paint/stain colours are realllly nice!

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  8. i love that you are refurbing the barn. I do not love that you may have to put off breeding this year. And omg we all want a welsh cob now thanks to CobJockey (and you)! Sigh :)

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  9. I mean if you took up jousting (Holler out to JenJ) I'd still be here reading lol

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