Horse Stuff

Okay. Grey horse (sadly) gone. Red horse here. Now what? Archie seems pretty amiable and easy to please, but history unknown (an orphan from Kansas)--who knows?

He seems happy to have humans around him (thumbs up) suffers his daily groom- and -tack -up cheerfully, and gratefully accepts peppermint healthy horse treats without cheekiness.

Heather advises a baby snaffle bit for him with lots of room for play. The  full horse-sized bridle I'd bought for Hobbs is a bit roomy on him but will do for the present. There are only so many bridles a person can buy in period of two weeks. Archie stands patiently while I put everything on the shortest hole. One rainy day I traveled  to Dover, New Hampshire to buy an all -weather very reasonably priced Thorogood saddle which is ever so adjustable for the horse owner who may discover her thin horse has become a wide horse, and amusingly played witness to a saddle -buying ten year old whose mother phone- snapped photos to the girl's absentee trainer. The salesperson started them out with a $300 sale Wintec. Seven phone snap nays later, they went home with a $3000 Pessoa.  

Archie seems amenable to all. I bought some must- haves: wound salve, velcro brushing boots, a  plaid (very Scottish) Baker fly sheet and  s set of Heather- recommended  super comfy pair of stirrups (thoughtfully peaceful with my creaky knees). I grabbed a bottle of Absorbine on the way out because I love the smell and although it's horse liniment,  Archie is the kind of guy who will share.

Tab thus far? Not bad. I'd had my vintage Stubben saddle (too small) restored and hope to sell it on for a bit of profit as it looks pretty good after all these years. Vet? $300 soundness trial and vaccinations. Heather and I reached an agreement above Archie's board as he eats a LOT and apparently needs it--so all the hay he can eat was factored in. Where it went, wasn't. Talk about horse poop. In the stall, in the field, in the ring and sometimes in the aisle. Gross.  How to balance what goes in with, what goes out?