House Post: Horse Laundry, or Living the Dream

Our house came with one washing machine: an older Kenmore, inefficient and top-load. It was a workhorse but could also die at any moment. There was a dryer hookup but no dryer.

We knew we would have to buy a washer and dryer, and had budgeted accordingly. A friend was buying a new washer and dryer - apartment-sized and a better fit for him - and sold us his barely used, HE washer & dryer for a fraction of the cost of new. Excellent!

Then I had a stroke of genius: could I double-plumb the washers?

So I started.

Things I had to do: replace the shut-off valves (the original 1920s copper valves had finally given up mid-install), bifurcate the drain pipe, bifurcate the intake valves, rewire the dryer plug, trim the new drain hose to size, and reconfigure the dryer vent hose.

Five hours and four trips to the local hardware store later, I had achieved laundry nirvana.

Weekly Blog Roundup

A few posts from the horse blogging world this week.

Growing up Sadie from The $900 Facebook Pony
I love this - well-illustrated and explained, the path of a baby horse.

Cushings/PPID Primer, Part 1 & Part 2 from Paradigm Farms Retirement
I've written a lot on this blog about my own learning process with Cushings, but this is a really good summary.

Jesus, Take the Wheel: Adventures in Learning to Trailer (Part 2) from A Work in Progress
This made me laugh and laugh. Trailering is not for the faint of heart!

Throwback Thursday: Learning to Jump from Hand Gallop
Awwwwwwwwww.

A Relaxing Trail Ride? You Be the Judge from Saddle Seeks Horse
Eeeeeeeep. Gorgeous photos, though!

Boosting the Signal: Gift for Lauren

As a reminder, there's still a collection to help Lauren out, organized by Tracy of Fly on Over.

Please consider donating.

Lauren is blogging in a heartbreakingly eloquent way about her circumstances, so if you are not caught up, visit her at She Moved to Texas.

Rainy Day Dressage Calisthenics

So granted, it's not Texas-level, but Vermont just saw its rainiest June in over 100 years. Thankfully, my barn has an indoor - like most nicer barns in the northeast - or we would never ride, ever.

We've moved on from strict conditioning rides to dressage and strengthening rides. I am for 30-40 minutes each ride, which is about the limit of his muscle strength and mental tolerance right now. At the end of an intensive ride, he's very body-tired but not terribly sweaty or winded.

Generally, things are going really, really well. We've had a couple of utter shit rides, but on the balance they've been pretty good.

Two days ago, we worked on stretching and coming up over his back and connecting his hind end by getting and staying forward through all three gaits. I got some really nice canter steps out of him. We're in a weird place right now where small circles are actually easier for him, almost, because it's less for him to think about when his body is sprawled all over the place. I've never been in this place before, but when I put him on a 15m circle he's much more bouncy and together. 20m and he flails and trips and just can't even.

Last night, it was all about the lateral work. I started him off in-hand, getting big steps over behind, then backing up, then stepping in the other direction. Under saddle, it was all about the leg yields while warming up, then turns on the hindquarters (blah) and forehand (much better). Those resulted in a horse with a better idea of where his shoulders and legs were, and we stepped up to small circles and teardrops at the trot, then shoulder-in and haunches-in. I tried to keep mixing it up, sometimes using a short diagonal to swap bend, sometimes zig-zagging in leg-yield, sometimes coming back to the wall after a circle and staying in haunches-in.

I'm not going to pretend any of it was show ring quality, but he felt terrific as he worked through it: rounder, deeper into the bit, more connected to my hands, gradually lighter and more able to be responsive to my aids.

Let's pretend this is artistic and not just poor quality. Shine and great condition!

I'm really happy with both his progress and my own schedule right now. The only thing I wish I could add into the mix is more hillwork, but the rain has been so bad the fields are flooded.

Hand Gallop Blog Hop: Every Day Tack Setup

I am a creature of habit, and prefer to have minimal changes to my routine. It's a big deal when I even swap bits. I honestly can't remember the last time I bought a new saddle pad - 3 years? 4?

Nor do I really know/remember what type of bridle and saddle I ride in? I know the brand, but not the exact model. #sorrynotsorry.

Anyway.

Everyday dressage outfit.

Albion dressage saddle. I don't know which one. I bought it used at Pelham Saddlery about 5 years ago. I adore it. It fits me, it fits him, it is comfy and puts me in the right place. It has a small tear on the seat that was well-repaired. I paid $1,200 for it. Bargain. On the saddle itself: basic leathers, basic fillis irons.

Roma fleece half-pad. My most recent purchase, actually, to help cushion his ever-changing back.

Basic dressage saddle pad. I own 3; the one on him in this photo is the only one I bought new. The other was a $5 used tack store find, the other was a hand-me-down that I got the same year I got Tristan. Go ahead, cringe away.

Smartpak dressage girth. This one, the basic one. It's been a workhorse for as long as I've owned the saddle.

Stubben dressage bridle; padded, straightforward noseband. It has a flash attachment, but I don't really use the flash. (I have in the past, but not right now.) I like it. I bought it on sale at Equine Affaire years ago, for around $150, which was something like 75% off. It is not buttery soft but it is solid and quality. It has tooth marks on the noseband from an asshole barn dog four barns ago. Sigh. In the bit: loose ring French link with lozenge.

Not a great picture, sorry, but jumping attire.

Things that are the same: saddle pads, leathers, irons.

Passier PS Baum all purpose saddle. My baby. My first and only saddle for years. Bought for $300 from a barnmate, 30 years old when I bought it. Total workhorse. Hard as a rock. No knee or thigh roll to speak off. Slippery. Totally out of style. I adore it.

Basic girth. Dunno what type, but it's nylon-y and elastic on one side. Basic fleece girth cover, because I am picky about fleece on girths and it classes up the cheapo girth a little.

Dover Circuit Figure 8 Bridle. On clearance, $60. Yep. I really like it, actually, except it's a little small for Tristan's face so the figure 8 straps are always on their top holes.

Dover galloping boots. He only wears these for XC, because if he rubs a rail I want it to sting. I am a bad mom.

Dover bell boots. Ditto the above.