Let's just say free things...aren't.
So I got a free colt last August. He needed a barn halter, new fencing, feed bucket, water bucket, new grain, heated water bucket for winter, the works. As spring approached I realized I didn't have enough clipper blades to do two horses regularly, nor fine enough blades to do facials for halter. Went to Valley Vet online and bought quite a few. Wait, need more Snap-And-Straps to hang his buckets at the shows. Hmm, need another door panel too. Come to think of it, how am I going to haul two minis who don't get along in my big-horse trailer?? Gotta buy a new trailer divider system! While I'm at it I'm going to put in those shelves I've always wanted in the tack room. Okay, trailer's looking great, time to fill it. I need an organizer system for the shelves, new Rubbermaid tubs to go under the shelves, I should go through my old emergency kit for the first time in about twenty years and oh yeah! What about making new harness racks?
Before I can clip him I need blankets since he won't fit the ones I have for my older gelding. New stable blankets, outer blankets, neck covers (it's April and freezing here in the NW, after all), a sleazy, tail bag, sun-protection spray and a good creme rinse for that easily-bleached and oh-so-brittle mane...razors and shaving foam and vicks since he's not gelded yet. Don't forget the tictacs to get his attention in the ring. Oh, and new baby wipes too as mine have dried out. Need new baby oil too.
But wait! I still need a show halter, which actually means a halter, lead, conchoes, chin chain and halter bag. Phew! Think I'm almost done!
Um, actually, turns out that stud colt won't respect my old hog panel door guards and can't share a stall with my older boy but I can't afford three stalls and still need a tack area. Quick, give $230 to the local "mini make-it" guy for a telescoping steel stall divider! Then I can separate the colt from my tack and use one stall for both. Gee, guess I'd better buy a plastic shelving system so I can store my stuff vertically. Oops, need another box fan too as the horses are dying in their airless show stalls. All this shopping exhausted me so I sat down in a spare chair at Showtime Tack. Jerry's offering a heck of a deal on that nice looking performance halter over there, which surely I'll need next year when Turbo starts doing obstacle and hunter. Oh, the heck with it. Think I've got one check left in the book....
Now my colt is 2.5 years old and I need cute matching Christmas stuff for the boys, a decent training surcingle, a new Myler bit, sidereins, brushing boots, better long lines, another open bridle...am I the only one who sees horse stuff for Christmas again??
And don't even get me started on the show harness for next year, the CDE harness for when he's four, and the pair and tandem stuff for driving the boys together!!
Leia
