Horse Supply List- I'm An Addict

Horse Stuff
1 Prestige Nona Garson Saddle + black fleece saddle cover
2 Bridles: 1 Five Star Tack Wembley Bridle, 1 Five Star Tack Ascot Figure 8 Bridle
1 MHB Creations Fly Bonnet (charcoal, baby blue, hot pink, rhinestones)
1 Five Star Tack Signature Breastplate with running attachment
1 Five Star Tack Hickory Cavesson Noseband 
3 reins: 1 Nunn Finer Soft Grip Rubber Reins, KL Select Fancy Stitch Reins, Harwich Curb Reins
6 Bits: 1 Loose Ring French Link Snaffle, 1 Rubber Dee, 1 French Link Dee, 1 Plain Snaffle Dee, 1 Copper 3 Ring Elevator, 1 Loose Ring Plain Snaffle
1 Girth: 54" Total Saddle Fit Girth
1 Pair of Prestige Stirrup Leathers
1 Single HDR Stirrup Leather (Grab Strap)
1 pair of MDC Hunter Classic Stirrups
5 Saddle Pads: 3 Lettia Coolmax Baby Pads (Green, Brown, White), 1 Dover Saddlery Pad (Black), 1 BoT Pad (Black), 1 Barn Baby Pad (white)
1 Ogilvy Memory Foam Half Pad (charcoal with baby blue)
1 Thinline Trifecta Half Pad with Cotton Rolls (white)
1 Thinline Sheepskin Half Pad (white)
2 Thinline Hind Shims
2 Thinline Front Shims
1 Beval Wool Half Pad
1 Fleeceworks Show Pad + memory foam shims
2 Pairs of KL Select Italia Bell Boots (natural & black)
1 pair of Veredus Carbon Open Front Boots
1 pair of Veredus Carbon Hind Boots
2 sets of Dressage Sport Boots (black)- front & back
1 set of BoT Polos
1 pair of BoT Hock Boots
1 pair of Nunn Finer Double Lock Brush Boots (black)
1 set of 4 white polos
Miscellaneous/variable numbers of black and navy fleeces polos
2 sets of 4 Standing Wraps (black & navy)
1 set of 4 Black Standing Wraps
3 pairs of baby blue 14" Pillow Quilts
1 pair of BoT 14" quilts
1 Noble Outfitters Grooming Tote containing: 1 Haas Schimmel Brush, 1 Haas Lipazzaner Damen Brush, 1 face brush, 1 hoofpick, 1 comb (pink glitter), 1 Oster Mane and Tail brush, 1 bot knife, 1 pair of scissors, 1 mane pulling comb, 1 bottle of Farrier's Fix Hoof Oil, 1 bottle of Show Sheen, 1 bottle of Pyrahna Fly Spray, and 1 bottle of Eqyss Marigold Spray
1 small black bucket containing: 1 hard brush, 1 Oster soft brush
1 Cosequin bucket containing: a sponge, Gallop bay shampoo, Mane and Tail Conditioner, and Fungus Amungus shampoo
1 set of Wahl face clippers
1 set of Andis body clippers
1 Baker Halter
1 Leather Halter with Candy's show name on it
2 Lead ropes - 1 Royal Blue and 1 Black and Rainbow
1 halter + muzzle
1 sheepskin muzzle guard
1 set of sheepskin halter covers
1 Horseware Cooler in blue stripes
1 Horseware Quarter Sheet in blue stripes
1 Rhino Lightweight Turnout
1 Beval Medium Turnout
1 Amigo Heavyweight Turnout
2 fly masks: one with ears, one without ears
1 Centaur fly sheet
2 Stanley trunks: one for standard horse supplies, one for seasonal items
1 small Stanley chest containing sundry first aid supplies

Riding/Rider Stuff
1 GPA Speed Air
Varying number of brown hairnets
5 Sunshirts: 1 brown Kastel, 1 heather Tailored Sportsman, 2 EIS (black, baby blue), & 1 Hunt Club grey sport hirt
5 "cold" weather shirts: 1 burgundy FITS zip, 1 black EIS, 1 Nike Rolex pullover, 1 Columbia fleece pullover, and 1 red Nike pullover
5 Pairs of Schooling Breeches: 4 Tailored Sportsman (Charcoal, Black Forest, Black Olive, and Boysenberry/Black), 2 Pipers (Burgundy and Military Green)
1 Pair of Show Breeches: Tailored Sportsman
1 Black North Face Down Jacket
3 Vests: 1 grey Auburn fleece vest, 1 black North Face down vest, and 1 grey Champion down vest
1 Navy Blue Mountain Horse Barn Jacket
1 Pair of brown Carhartt insulated overalls
3 Pairs of Gloves: brown SSG Digital Riding Gloves, black Roeckls (show gloves), winter-weight black Roeckls
1 Pair of black DeNiro Salentos
1 Pair of grey Parlantis
1 Pair of brown Ariat Crowne Pro Paddock boots
1 Pair of brown Tredstep Leather Half Chaps
2 Pairs of spurs: roller & Tom Thumb
2 Pairs of spur straps: black and brown
2 Riding Crops: 1 black crop, 1 black/baby blue/hot pink cross country bat
1 black Tipperary vest with baby blue laces
2 Pairs of Hunter Wellies: navy (quarantine/gross boots) and olive
1 Show Coat: grey GPA
2 Show Shirts: 2 Essex Talent Yarns
2 "Nice" V-Neck Sweaters: grey J. Crew and black Ralph Lauren
5 Belts: 1 leopard print needlepoint belt with monogram, 1 green Tredstep Flex, 1 brown 2" Handy Hunter, 1 brown Hunt Club Polo, and 1 maroon Hunt Club
Coordinating Set of black/baby blue/white boot bag and bridle bag

I HAVE A HALF PAD PROBLEM, I AM AWARE.

All this for a....
23 year old
Retired
Andalusian.

Photo Dump/Updates

Trying to get back into the swing of blogging, although it may turn into more of a veterinary intern blog rather than a horse blog.

In the meantime, here is a photo dump from the last two months!

3 year anniversary present from the dude.

Shameless swing shift selfie

Candyland.

An "oops" on my love, Lexie-Lu.

Last ride redemption!

Sweet Sailor- favorite lesson horse at the barn

Graduation trip: Disney World and Harry Potter!

Something Exciting Happened.

As of 2 weeks ago, I am no longer a DVM candidate- I'm officially a DVM!

For Sale/Lease: Rider

5'8, skinny-fat, 26 year old rider. Smart and eager to please. Good build for the adult equitation, but needs some work to place in stiff competition. Has experience in the jumper ring up to 1.0m, and would make a solid 3' hunter/equitation rider if she ever pulls her head out of her ass. Has buttons, just doesn't always remember them. Requires a horse willing to take a joke. Asking $40k or whatever will pay her rent for the next year.

Stagnant

I feel like the mood of my blog has been one of not quite hopelessness, but frustration and stagnancy.

I am an incredibly fortunate soul- I have an internship next year at a phenomenal private practice, I have found a small apartment to call my own, will be able to afford weekly riding lessons most of the year, found a wonderful, beautiful retirement farm to keep my horse of a lifetime, and my equine soulmate is in good health, shiny, and happy. I have plenty to be incredibly grateful and thankful for, but I feel so... just... empty.

I've been taking weekly lessons at a wonderful hunter-jumper facility in Lexington for the last month and a half. I've loved every lesson horse I've sat on, appreciated all their quirks, and savored ever moment in the saddle.

The last time I was riding once a week was over 10 years ago; for the first time in my life, I am riding less instead of more, and it is breaking my heart. Being out of the saddle even this much makes me ache. It's so hard to be so distant from a hobby that is all consuming, that you love, and allow to drive your very being.

I know my situation is only, at most, a year, but it is difficult wanting to maximize and cherish each day when you spend every moment counting the seconds, days, months until your next ride. It is difficult to give up something that has been with you through your darkest moments and your brightest days.

I've spent a few weeks trying to put into words how I'm feeling about my current situation, and my life for the next year; it is so hard to explain that while I am grateful for my situation, and thrilled for the next chapter, I am so devastated to put horses on the backburner, even if it is only temporary.

2017 Resolutions

Given my current situation... my New Year's goals are a little... depressing. Basically, I'm trying to make the best out of what I will have.

Riding Related:
1. Continue riding- really all I can set goal-wise. Even if it's a 20 minute walk session on Candy once a month, just stay in the saddle during my internship year.

And that's... it.

Career Related:
1. Read all of Ettinger's- the internal medicine bible.
2. Attend IVECCS if possible.

Personal Related:
1. Try to maintain a positive attitude/positive vibe.
2. Get my body back to pre-vet school weight/fitness.
3. Focus on living a minimal lifestyle- less consumption, less waste.

Nothing too exciting- at a weird transition phase of my life, and just dealing with all of that.

- K & C & L

Blog Hop: Location

Courtesy of ASSFS!

As most of you know, I live in Hell, aka the Deep South- eastern Alabama.

While it's definitely not Horse Mecca, I am impressed by the variety I've found here- everything from therapeutic riding to trails riding to A circuit H/J and all the disciplines in between.

Average Costs (for English):

• Board
• Pasture- ~$300- $400
• Stall Board- $500-$700
• Training board isn't really a thing here, but then again, I am not one to actively seek out training board.
• Farrier
• Barefoot- $35
• Front Shoes- $110
• All Four Shoes- $170
• Hay Bales- the price has really increased with the drought
• Coastal/Bermuda- $5/bale, $35/round bale
• Timothy- $12/bale

Weather? Do you like moisture? 

Temperatures are mild (mid-40s at the lowest during the day) in the winter, but the humidity makes the cold really sink into your bones. Spring/summer/fall usually hot and moist. It likes to rain in the afternoons or for days straight. Or recently, not rain for 4 months, then rain for 4 days straight.

Riding demographic? I think it's definitely a lot of trail/Western riders, with a smattering of English riders.

Other notes? We are super close to Pensacola, FL and Marietta, GA, as well as reasonably close to Brownland, which is lovely. We also have a vet school with a pretty darn stellar equine department.

Frustrating things in the area? Lack of "special" horse care- it was super hard to find chiropractic work until earlier this year. There are basically 2 farriers in the area consistently. Lack of big(ger) name clinicians (or any clinicians, really, except Doug Payne last year). And I understand all those standpoints- it's not as though this is a high dollar horse area, and most people do Western or leisure. Having lived in Lexington, KY for all of my riding career, my view of the horse world is very warped and very privileged. 

- K & C & L