Kit Carson Riding Club (KCRC) Boarding

Oh what a weekend it has been!!! Friday evening Steve and I went to the Icky Barn as I will now call it to check on my girl and start moving tack.  Luckily the guy wasn't there, he was at the rental down the street, so we could move tack and supplies without having to discuss it with him.  I contacted his wife, the actual owner of the property to let her know our moving intent.  She asked if anything had been done wrong and I assured her I felt that Dani's care was fine (it was ok for the most part...) just that KCRC suddenly had an opening I had to take.  I didn't want to start an ordeal with the warnings I'd received....

I did have a bit of an issue with Dani's isolation situation.  The ranch intended to have her in a round pen separated from the other horses for a couple weeks.  It totally made sense but I didn't know that she would not have shelter or be taken in during the cold thunderstorms we received last week.  One evening I came to see her and was in tears; my baby was drenched in water with no shelter to go into and I had no ability to do anything.  She was warm at least and didn't seem to mind, I've seen her outside the run in shed drenched wet from her own choice before.  I guess I assumed that with bad weather they would move her somewhere but they didn't have that ability.  Bad decision on my part.

The second issue was that the half of the round pen facing the other horses was blocked with tarps so Dani could not see them while she ate or tried to sleep.  For the 6 days there she did not eat very well.  The owners kept saying it was my hay.  Granted my hay is not top notch but it had a decent RFV rating, certified weed free and fairly green.  It's a little more stemmy than I'd like but the best I've found locally for now.  After first cut this year we'll hopefully find some better quality hay.  Anyhow, I knew my hay wasn't that bad, my mare was just uncomfortable and couldn't see other horses in order to feel safe to eat.  I felt like a horrible horse mom.

Saturday was the big move day, the owner of the ranch said I needed to give a 5 day notice and since I hadn't she would just charge those days in addition to the 7 days I'd received the full care for Dani.  As the contract was written that made complete sense to me so we wrote up the end of contract notice and both signed it, I received my refund of board (prorated) and was thankful for no drama.  She seemed very baffled by my leaving but I was afraid to tell the real reason for fear of her getting yelled at or the person who warned me.  Better to make it seem like I'm a flaky person and leave it at that! Of course my issue was not with this gal but her absent husband; Steve, my friend Rich and I were relieved to show up at the ranch and not have HIM there. 

The night before we'd tried to arrange when we could get there to load the hay and there was issues with feeding times and calves in the runs etc etc.  After some curt emails with this man, we finally arranged a time that suited him and luckily the riding club people were understanding so I could leave my volunteer post at concessions for the rodeo at KCRC and head down the road to get my mare.  When I volunteered I had no idea I would have to move my girl so abruptly!

We arrived with two trucks to load the hay.  The original loading of the hay when I purchased it was done by professionals and Steve was more confident for us to just use two trucks to load to make sure we only had to make one trip.  The pen that was opened to give us access was the calf pen.  Uck!  I don't think this pen is ever cleaned because in the week I was here the poo just kept piling up with alfalfa smashed into it.  That's how I would have to go to get my tack, one other reason I'm happy to be leaving.  We slipped and slid moving the 30 bales of hay into the trucks...yuck!  I grabbed my metal trash can feed bin, double checked the shed for last items to grab and then went to get Dani.  The boys drove the trucks to KCRC grounds and I walked my girl down the road.

Nothing major happened on the walk to her new home, though I got strange looks from people on their porches.  One guy yelled out "Nice lookin horse!" with a smile. I laughed and said "Thanks!".  Another couple were on the porch and something loud clicked...grill ignition?  Not sure.  Anyways Dani shied just a little and I calmed her, tried to move her this way and that and get her thinking again.  I need to do some serious work with Clinton Anderson methods, the round pen and arenas at this place will be great to use!

I arrived with Dani just as the boys were done stacking the hay.  I only had a 20 quart bucket to fill for water and I placed her hay on the ground (she's used to eating from the ground since that's what they did at Whispering Winds).  She was safe and happy and began eating her hay right away.  I finished up with the Little Britches Rodeo concessions at 2pm.

Steve and I headed to Big R to get the two troughs we wanted.  100 gallon Rubbermaid for the water and a galvanized tub for the hay (we intend on creating a slow feeder with that one...I'll post information on that one when we construct it!).  We then also grabbed a manure fork, rake and broom.  I cleaned up a lot of leftover alfalfa and poo that a rodeo person's horses had left the night before not knowing this was a private stall. I was irritated that people from the rodeo didn't have the courtesy to clean up after themselves but that's another story.  I set up more hay for Dani and let my mare relax socializing with neighboring horses.  By then it was close to 6pm and Steve and I were thinking BBQ!! 

What a day but I am more than relieved and my mare is back to her hoover-like eating self, gobbling up hay like it's an endangered plant species!!