Baby Update and All Clear!

I'm guessing that not everyone has the luxury of an OB who competes in the A/O's - but it's proved really helpful and comforting for me and I've really enjoyed it.  Choosing to continue to ride up to this point in my pregnancy is definitely controversial, but like most things that seem to involve kids and parenting, everyone needs to do what they feel comfortable with and become equally comfortable with dissenting options from others.

For me, personally - continuing to ride has been easy.  For one thing I feel my best and am the most energetic when I'm at the barn. If it weren't for the barn, my greatest cardio challenge would be climbing the stairs to my bedroom at night.  For another, it helps that I'm just now starting to show.  For me that means my body still pretty much feels normal, my balance isn't all screwy yet, and also, my breeches still zip (barely, but they do).  Since I'm used to my pants pretty much always being tight, this doesn't disrupt me.

Perhaps if this had been a difficult pregnancy, or if even getting pregnant had been arduous, I would be more guarded with my activity, but so far, things have been healthy and my general mindset has been to keep doing-what-I-do as much as possible.

Enter my OB.  I really appreciate that she's a rider, because she has a very realistic understanding of what the physical impact of riding truly is.  She also understands the craziness that is horse-ladies and can empathize with my desire to stay in the saddle. That being said, she is still a doctor and isn't going to let me run wild or do anything too crazy.

So far she has emphasized that I need to be aware of what the risks are in a worst-case-scenario situation (falling/trampling) and not ignore those possibilities.  I totally agree, and as someone who's been riding for 25 years, I suppose I'm maybe too familiar and comfortable with those possibilities.

At an earlier appointment she gave me a stern lecture that it's fine to ride, but I need to be a slightly different rider while I'm pregnant.  If my horse is being overly bad/flighty/unpredictable - now is not the time to step up to the plate and battle through things.  Now is the time to get off, hand the reins to someone else and watch what happens.

Now is not the time to take risks, move up divisions or anything else where I'm stretching my limitations or comfort zone.  Now is the time to drop down a division, scratch classes if I'm not feeling 100% and play everything safer than I would normally.

With that in mind she's given us the proverbial green light for Thermal, which is exciting.  The barn that she rides at will be down at Thermal for the same weeks, so I can also take comfort in the fact that she'll be a few barn aisles over should I have any questions, or need anything.

So with that knowledge, and a very good, honest conversation with my Trainer about what I am (and am not) comfortable with for the show, I feel very prepared to hopefully get a couple more weeks of rides in and enjoy this whole process.  Of course, I've balanced that with a healthy understanding that there is a chance it won't be smart for me to ride, and I've come to terms with that also.

Mentally I have decided that after Thermal I'll be done riding until after miss baby arrives so I will be shifting into the role of spectator fairly soon either way!

One of the ladies was teasing me that if I keep riding for too much longer I'm going to end up with a kid who needs to be put on a horse to fall asleep instead of in a car... too funny. but fine by me!

Getting Packed

It's strange - given the whole "full care show barn" thing, in theory I have way less to worry about/remember/pack than I ever have for any other show, so I should be all easy breezy chill about it all.

But I'm not.

In fact, I'm probably more neurotic about my packing list for Thermal than I have been for any other show.  I started casually cleaning and packing a few things into my trunk weeks ago (my show boots have literally been packed for a month).  But other things I've been lackadaisical on and very comfortable not getting 100% prepped until the last minute.

I think the above average stress is stemming from 1) the fact that I've never (ever) packed for a three week show before. and 2) the notion that when I'm responsible for everything it's easier to double check what I have.  But since I'm not - I keep asking (the same) questions over and over again.  I have probably asked N whether she packs Prairie's blankets or I do at least four times.

This should be easy.  I ordered the blankets.  She took them from me, arranged for the monogramming, dropped them off to be embroidered, and picked them up again.  I haven't worried about a thing! And yet, this somehow short circuits my brain.  My usual process for packing is out the window and while some of that is nice (I don't need to wrestle hay bales or make grain baggies or make sure I have bute and extra first aid supplies...) it's totally screwing with my ability to account for the things I still need to be accountable for.

Long story short, I think we're ready.  I took advantage of all the xtra space in the trunk and packed all my show clothes in there (I mean why not).  I'm hoping that means I can keep my luggage to one carry on bag...

My dad even rigged up a semi genius pulley system that means I can load load/unload the trunk myself... Basically he set up up so I can lift the trunk from the beam of my deck (which is over my garage) and then back the truck up and lower the trunk back down.  Independent woman!!!

well, mostly independent.  Dad wanted to supervise the first use...

I took the trunk down today, added a new bag of horse treats for Prair, a few items I still needed for lessons (like um... my saddle) and called it good.

I patted the mare on the nose and told her to keep shedding because it's about to get balmy.

Next stop, Cali-forn-i-a!!

Tack Review: Circuit Raised Halter

Sometimes when you open up a can of Tack Ho, you just get more than you bargained for... Or rather, my brain goes into a mode of "buy it! Buy it now!!" and it's really (really, really) hard to turn it off.

Clearly all the Thermal Prep has gone to my head as, I'm still brandishing my Visa around like someone is about to take it away (sidenote: someone should probably take it away).

I think I mentioned it, but Prair snapped her halter a couple weeks ago and since it is literally the third time she has ripped this particular halter to shreds I started looking for a new one.  I don't have an easy tack repair place that's close, and after I took in my reins (that broke last October at the show..) I was told they would be $170 to repair or $160 to replace.  Bah. 

Deflated from that particular experience I figured I would eventually gather up the energy to (once again) repair Prair's big black halter, but perhaps I should procure a replacement in the meantime.  

I have a problem in that I love big, padded, squishy halters - and I love them for everyday.  I am definitely of the mindset of "if you have something nice, use it" which is great for making sure that I actually wear my grandmother's pearls, but maybe less pragmatic in the the world of horses, and mud and breaking things...

Regardless, even though I started with a search for a good 'ol turnout halter, I quickly ended up perusing full leather replacements and after clicking back and forth and back and forth between different sites, and different models - I settled on the Circuit Plain Raised Padded Halter (not to be confused with the Circuit Padded Halter, or the Circuit Double Raised Padded Halter, both of which were contenders).  At $99.99 it came in just under the mental $100 barrier and it looked both polished, and workmanlike for everyday use.

classy.

I have relatively limited experience with Circuit's leather goods, but I do recall a girth of theirs that I had for YEARS and seemed to be a pretty darn good value.  

That said, I was impressed with the halter when it arrived.  It was a touch stiff (to be expected), but the padding was soft, the stitching was beautiful and even, the color was rich and the raised portions on the nose and crown looked lovely.

After a few cursory passes with my CWD conditioner, it softened up nicely, although it's possible that CWD stuff would make cardboard buttery soft...

I'm still waiting to affix the nameplate to the cheek before it gets taken to the barn (no rush since the new barn not only took the broken halter in for repairs, but had it back on Prair's hook in 2 days with only a $10 bill to show for it!!

All in all, I think the Circuit looks better than some $200 leather halters I have seen and worked with.  It's a great value for what it is. If I were looking for a show halter I'd consider the fancy stitch version, but I like the more plan look of the simple raised...

In terms of size, it runs a bit small.  with the nose on the last hole and the crown all the way out, it's still a tad small on Prair.  Her big black halter is huge and loosey goosey, so it's definitely a study in contrasts, but where I notice the size the most is in a (rather) short piece between the noseband and throatlatch, and a rather short/tight throatlatch.  Prair usually fits very nicely into standard Horse Size for halters and bridles, so if a horse was between sizes, I would definitely order up.  Other than that, nothing bad to say.

I'll post a pic of Prair in her new head gear after our next trip to the barn.

Prair's Filly

I don't know why I haven't posted it on here yet, but Stacy over at Behind the Bit, posted the ad for Prair's 2011 filly Real Prada.  I found out that she was on the market a couple weeks ago, but apparently totally spaced on posting anything.

Prada in 2011.. still by Prair's side

Little miss Prada wasn't ever supposed to be for sale, but we've all been in/seen the scenario where the horse you think you'll keep forever ends up moving on.  When I bought Prair, it was either Prair or the filly had to go, and lucky me I got the Big Mare.  I'm a bit surprised to see Prada for sale as she is literally everything Cocolalla has been breeding for and I would have expected them to want to get some embryos from her..

Prada was bred by the lady who I purchased Prairie from at Cocolalla Creek Sport Horses, so her daddy is one of their studs, and she certainly hit the color jackpot!

Radikal - her sire

I don't typically like a lot of color, but there's something about Prada's medicine hat and matched black/white legs that I think is pretty charming.

The little lady isn't cheap (by any stretch of the imagination) so I'm sure she'll go to a good show home.  The Boy has pleaded with me to get her but so far I'm putting my foot down.  We need to downsize not collect more..   His primary motivation is to see if they recognize each other.. I've tried to explain that of all the bad reasons to buy a horse... that might be toward the top of the list.  He also argues that it would just make sense to get a "P3."

I do love the idea of having Prair's baby, but the more logical argument is to breed her myself something (or do an ET to avoid straining her back).

If you picture her in all black, she really looks like her mama....