Fun things

Last week was a rush of fun things!

Monday started out with Bark in the Park- it was a fundraiser from the Davie County Humane Society where they opened up Tanglewood early and had the lights on but you could only walk through with your dogs. SOOO much fun. Cooper thought he had died and went to heaven after a fun day running at the barn- with his friend Lucy at the calf raiser's barn and then got to go there too!  He (and I) had never seen so many dogs in one place before. I hope they raised lots of money and will do it again next year.  I have been to Tanglewood many times before but it was very different experiencing it so up close and personal by walking through it- so much better than driving!

Tuesday Mom and I trekked back to Mocksville for the farriers meeting at Davie Co Large Animal Hospital.  I did an internship there back in undergrad and love the practice. Once a month they bring in difficult cases and take x-rays and talk through different shoeing options with many local farriers. It is a win for everyone that comes. Mom loved it and I enjoyed the review and seeing familiar faces- you can always learn a ton!

Wednesday I moved a horse that I have on trial to buy to Dana's- more on that to come- I will just say I am excited and can't wait to blog about this pony :)

Thursday was our weekly dance lesson where we learned Cuban walks- whew our hips don't work like Hispanic's and we were beat. But we had a lovely dinner at the Station before which is turning into a wonderful weekly tradition :)

Friday Somer and Steve joined us for the weekend! Initially it was supposed to be a birthday weekend party but I had to cancel because I couldn't find coverage for the weekend. Somer and Steve still decided to come up and chance me getting called. Friday we drug invited them along for our group dance lesson! We had a Mexican dinner first and then we went to group. Group at the dance studio is a bit different. They line up all the girls then all the guys and teach us our parts separately. Then we go down the row and each girl rotates dancing with the guys.  It can be a bit awkward but I just keep it lighthearted and chit chat which helps! Steve says he didn't like it but I think he secretly did and Somer is hooked- she wants to dance in Raleigh now :)

Saturday was a fun day of emergency calls in the morning and a wonderful walk, dinner and a movie in the Evening.

Sunday was a shopping extravaganza and I sure was beat by the end of it.

We are so thankful to have amazing friends that will travel 3 hours to come visit.  We are very lucky people.

Retirement

It is with a heavy heart that I write this blog.  Star has been my partner and main man for the last 18 years.  He has bee not quite right for the last few but the level of work he has been doing for me was adequate and ok for his pain level.  When he moved back home with me he pulled a shoe the first day he went back out. We proceeded to then go on a roller coaster of lame and not lame for the last 4 months.  When he started being 3 legged lame after stall rest I knew enough was enough. Well the old man has great timing because that was a week before the wedding. So Dana (who has been amazing through all of this helping when I can't get out!) was entrusted to make him comfortable and look after my old man.  We had an understanding that if he wasn't doing better by the time the wedding was over I would take him to go get x-rays.  I will tell you when it comes to my own horse I don't want to be a vet!  Mom was great and took a day off and we hauled him to a practice up the street who's opinion I very much trust.  After a full work up my suspicion were confirmed that this was not an abscess - he had severe DJD of the pastern joint.  His feet were also out of balance which was putting pressure on the arthritis making him severely uncomfortable.  After the treatment discussion he looked me in the eye and said it is time- he does not need to be put through the paces of being a dressage horse and should only be plodded around on.  I understood and was even prepping myself for that the days preceding the visit.  I gave him a big hug and left him to be shod by their farrier.  On the way home mom and I digested the news I knew was a long time coming.  For those of you that don't know Star is 27 years old! He has given me the best partnership and I will be hard pressed to find a horse that I click and work with as well as I do him.  That said I am conflicted being excited looking for a new partner.  I know I will not find a new Star but I think he will be excited to see me go and have fun again.
Now for a walk through memory lane with my amazing man.

Our last show at Macnairs probably 2 years ago now.

After a show at Buckhorn where I messed up my ride time and got no warm up...still kicked everyone's butt :) 

Back at an event in high school. Yellow and green were our colors

He will be retired at our house when the time is right and I will be able to kiss him good morning and good night every day- who gets to say that! We are a lucky pair!

Wedding

I know that most everyone knows now that I got married! It was a beautiful day but I am not quite ready to blog about it.  I don't really want it to be over and I want to give it due time.  Be on the lookout for an anniversary blog :)

Wedding....here....already?!?!?!

After 1.5 years of planning in two days I am able to say I am getting married THIS MONTH....cue panic attack! But not really...we are very ahead of the game and have FANTASTIC vendors which made me think about things WAY in advance.  Now there are just a few little projects to be done and we will be there. My goal for the week before the wedding is to do nothing but imagine how amazing it will be.  That said I will not have time for much more than that because I work up until Wednesday night and our first set of guests arrive that night! Thursday we welcome all of our overseas guests and then Friday the festivities begin!!! I am so excited that it is so close!

With all of that said girls always joke that a stomach bug is the best thing that could happen to them pre-wedding. I BEG TO DIFFER!! I was flat on by back last Friday and Saturday. I called out of work which was very hard knowing all surgeries would be cancelled (usually 20+) if I could not make it in...but I made the phone call curled up in a ball not able to move. Mom was a super hero and flew into the rescue to take me to the doctor and cleaned my whole house including laundry while I slept the day away.  She really is the best! One of the perks of being close to Mom when you are sick. I am slowly getting back on my feet did one farm call today and will be back to my normal schedule tomorrow.

We are just busy around here getting the final things ready for the wedding and still trying to keep up with daily life. Somehow we manage!

Here's some Cooper cuteness for your day!

Settling into a routine

Taking a break out of invoicing and writing medical records to post a quick update.  Life in Hickory is going very well. It seems that just this week Justin and I have really settled we are getting back to the things we love. As I type this I am listening to him doodle on his banjo! It has been soo long since he has had the time or energy to actually want to play it. It makes me very happy that he has picked it up again. I am now re-reading the Harry Potter series. Not tearing through it like I did the first time thanks to work picking up but it is fun to dive into books again! We are very happy here and it shows in our hobbies.  Tomorrow it is time to see my pony again and take advantage of this beautiful fall weather.

Work has steadily increased and I am thrilled to be working so much!

Now here's to a glass of wine and finishing invoicing so I can go to bed :)

Fun in Hickory

The biggest fear I had about moving back home was not having anything to do!
We have kept ourselves very busy working on the house, wedding planning, but we have had time to enjoy some things around Hickory.

Justin and I went to the Hickory Farmers Market a few weeks back in order to hand out business cards to the local agriculture producers.  It was very nice chatting with people and we had a great time!

Cooper is a fan of adopting homeless animals!

Also a few weeks ago the Catawba County Fair took place and Justin, Mom and I had a date night to the fair and then out to eat at the Station. The weather was fantastic and it was so much fun just wandering around looking at everything.

It is sad to think that we will be missing the State Fair this year- not only is it not (literally) around the corner anymore but we are getting married during the second weekend of the fair so I don't think a quick trip up to Raleigh will be happening unfortunately.

Tomorrow I have my bridal portraits taken by a dear friend Britt Gillis- check out her Blog I have been very fortunate to have her photograph me and my horse on many occasion, she is very talented and I am so excited for tomorrow! I just have to remember I can't share any of them before the wedding day! Those of you who had bridals HOW DID YOU DO IT??? I'm so excited and I haven't even had them done yet!

Sage

Thanks to Dana I have had a horse to work with while Star decides how to be sound again. He is doing well again but he goes through bad days where he just needs some rest. Sage is a blast from my past. Star was used for an IDA show back in Hickory during Vet School and Dana sent Sage with me to try and sell him.

Sale photo when he was a 5 year old.

He did not find the right owner to buy him during that time and came back to the barn. Since then he has not found his rider yet. Dana has been nice enough to let me work with him and I love the time I spend with him.

We are hopefully going to a hunter show in a few weeks so we have been working on our jumping.  Our goal is to event next fall so we spend half our time doing dressage working on suppling in front of the withers and the other half getting ME comfortable jumping again after being a DQ for 9 years!!

Trot flat work:

Canter flat work:

Heres a video of our last gymnastic school.  He isn't picking his knees up great because he really isn't challenged yet- he is a really big boy. Unfortunately the battery died when we pushed up the height.