Hello, Changes and Updates

Oh hey there blogland and blogpeoples and blogponies. Most unofficial blogger ever checking in to say winter hasn’t offed me yet.

There are a lot of changes happening in my family life and in my pony life. Hopefully they will be for the better all around in the long term. In the short term, change is difficult.

Award for most vague post ever? You can leave that right here, thank you.

I can’t talk about the family happenings but your thoughts and prayers are coveted. This change could happen in two weeks or six months – and there’s not a whole lot of in between. I suppose this is my cue to say if I poof again, this is probably the reason. I have no idea what else to say because I can’t really say anything else… but it’s the single biggest change in my short married life – and that includes the actually getting married part.

As for pony life, that I can talk about! That’s what this blog is for.

Joker has not gotten any better, poor fella. I feel dead awful about his lack of improvement. If anything, his behavior has regressed further. It came to a head last weekend when he rung my bell by flinging his head around, screaming for pony friends he could not see. I had my helmet on so no harm done but his inconsolableness has remained inconsolable for three solid months. I decided it was time to have the tough conversation with his wonderful owner about his time with me. He needs to see a vet who can thoroughly work him over to find out what has his goose cooked.

He is going home to his owner’s parents’ farm where he will get seen by their vet and more than likely be scoped to kick things off. Although the plan was for him to stay until March when Nibbles comes home, he is homeward bound next week.

Which means…

Nibbles is coming home!!!

She has grown up right in front of my eyes. As a riding horse, anyway. She’ll actually be 8 in late May but that’s not the point. The point is that Trainer Elise has provided her with so much great training and experience. She’s been ridden in clinics, schooled with other horses, schooled by herself, she survived her first show, she’s even hacked out several times completely alone without fanfare. Just being ridden regularly at least 4 days/week for 9+ months has been so incredibly valuable. Elise texted me earlier this week to say she rode her bareback for fun, WTC was no problem, and even shoulder-fore in the trot was easy.

*sniff* My baby is all grown up.

Just kidding. No sniffling here. I am ECSTATIC.

I’ve ridden her a handful of times since she’s been in training but I want to make sure I feel confident with all her fancy new buttons she’s had installed. I’m spending this coming weekend with Trainer Elise so we can get a couple more lessons under our belt. The idea is that Elise will still come down, hopefully at least once a month, to keep the ship right-side up. I’m hoping to be able to take lessons with other people as well but Nibbles full-time training will be in my hands.

If things go according to plan, the switch will occur next week sometime. Unfortunately, the 20 degree weather comes back next week as well. Wah. But she’s coming home! For now, not even the cold can stop me.