OMG my babies are coming home today- SO FRIGGIN EXCITED!

[okggo]

I had to come on here and share, as I didn't sleep all night last night. We finished our broodie/foal pasture yesterday and can start phase 1 of bringing the horses home!! We are going to bring one mare and the two babies (weaning our Feb baby at the same time as she is almost the size of her dam!). I am so excited, and nervous (aka I hope the babies load). It has been my dream since I could think beyond eating and pooping to have a farm one day with my kids at home. It's all kind of surreal!

Anyway, after we get these three home we can start on the other pasture and then bring my gelding and the other mare here.

Sorry if this sounds silly but I am absolutely beside myself. It is the ONLY thing I've ever "wanted" in life. Don't get me wrong, I love my hubby, but I never wanted to get married until I met him. And I've been boarding for almost 20 years now! We hope to get some pictures, hopefully I can share some.

Thanks for letting me share this, I feel like I know so many of you it just seemed like a logical place to beam :) I'm so tired of other people raising my horses, and the driving all over the freaking place to see them, and missing the ability to provide that daily hands on TLC. Our BO is a very nice person, but it is just not the same.

[llsc]

That is really exciting!!! Please take lots of pictures. I'd love to see them. There is nothing like having your own farm. I love mine!

[Daydream Believer]

Congrats Julie! Very exciting for sure! Yes, definitely post some pics!

[Neighland]

BIG HUGE CONGRATS!!! We want lots of pics!!!!!

[risingstarfarm]

Congratulations Julie! I am excited for you (and your horsie kids).

[tullyleague]

Julie, you dance and scream about it as much as you want! Good on you, mate! :D

[copper bay farm]

Congratulations! I remember bringing the first day bringing our horses home too. Great feeling! :)

[Home Again Farm]

What a great thing to have them home at last!! We will need pics!

[rideagoldenpony]

Awww, you're going to enjoy it SO MUCH!!!

Woo hooo! Congratulations!!!

[pintopiaffe]

Oh, congratulations!

There is just NOTHING on this earth quite like getting home and getting out of the car, and smelling earth and flowers and grass and the faint aroma of horse... My favorite time for chores in all but the most excruciating weather, is when I get home at 0230. In the summer it's the stars and fireflies and smells of dew and all that is summer... in the winter it's the frost and moonlight and impossible diamonds out there...

You will love it. I'm SO excited for you! You must post pics of the girls as they settle in!

[pony grandma]

There is just NOTHING on this earth quite like getting home and getting out of the car, and smelling earth and flowers and grass and the faint aroma of horse...

Hey Horse smells!! :yes: I happened upon an old Architectural Digest in the resale shop the other day and picked it up, the front page pictured Dennis Quaid at his Montana ranch. I just wanted to see the ranch :winkgrin: up until the part where he talked about keeping his horses as far away from his house as possible so that they didnt' have to smell them. :eek: I quit reading right there.


My favorite time for chores in all but the most excruciating weather, is when I get home at 0230. In the summer it's the stars and fireflies and smells of dew and all that is summer... in the winter it's the frost and moonlight and impossible diamonds out there...

Amen I love cold clean air at night with stars!

[Sassenach]

Congrats!!! :D

[okggo]

Thanks everybody! What an amazing feeling to look out my window and see the two babies sleeping and Lacy watching over them. I'm so used to them being 40 minutes or more away, it seems to good to be true!

The move went frighteningly well. Both babies loaded with minimal fuss and the mare is an ole pro so no worries on her. They got here and seemed infatuated with the grass. No running, no craziness, just eating grass and a little exploring.

The weaning went as could be expected. By the time I had the one mare and foal loaded, they all had an idea that something was going on. Once I closed the other baby in, her dam went NUTS, screaming and running the fence line and then the baby started getting worked up on the trailer so we left as fast as we could. It is so hard to pry away a mom and foal :(

We called the BO to check on the other mare and she said she will start to run the fence and my guy Durham will kind of herd her back, like "chill" and calm her down. Thank goodness those two get along so well. He is not about to run a fence line all day (laziness) so I think he is her sanity in her moment of panick.

Anyway, I got some pictures, but didn't post many yet. I put one up, my favorite. Lacy doing what she does best (well, other than eat). I can't wait to get weight on her, I HATE seeing ribs :(

http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii170/okgottago/?action=view&current=IMG_7141.jpg

[Blonde Filly]

CONGRATULATIONS GIRL!!!! You deserve it and I'm so, so, so HAPPY for you!!!! :D No more staying up and foaling at Eddie's place! ;) Enjoy it! I know after boarding from 8 years old until 22 years old when I got my first place at 21 and putting up fence and then a barn a year later and bring them home was the greatest after 14 years of boarding my horses and moving them from place to place over the years got really old and I had some great BO, but still not the same!!! ;)

[dressagetraks]

Congratulations! Boy do I remember bringing the horses home.

That looks like a great pasture, and they look right at home.

Enjoy every minute!

[Waterwitch]

Fantastic news Julie - nothing better than waking up in the morning and seeing your ponies out the window :)

Happy hugs,

[ShowjumpersUSA]

Congratulations! Great picture... everyone looks very content.

[nsm]

HUGE CONGRATS!!!!!!!! Beautiful pasture too,

Nancy

[Julz]

Congratulations! What a relief that must be for you. I remember when also, and it is so comforting to just be able to look out and check on them. Contentment = Priceless.

[okggo]

Contentment = Priceless.

Bingo!!! I can finally do things the way I want and be 110% content (and have nobody to blame but myself). I've always wanted things like 24/7 hay, nice grass, good shade/shelters, special feeding (aka knowing each is getting exactly what they are supposed to, and the ability to change based on body condition instantaneously) and every place I've ever boarded has "something" that isn't ideal but you have to learn to live with. Mainly b/c of all things in life, I am by far the most anal retentive about the horses. I get really frustrated at things like dropping weight. Our mares are TBs but both are pretty dang easy keepers (aka 1 scoop grain gets them fat) so when they are both ribby despite us providing fat supplements and what sounds like a good feeding program, it bothers me. I look at Flipped Her Halo's beautiful TB mare in such great weight, and shake my head when we go to visit and see ribs.

Here are a couple pics of the field http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii170/okgottago/?action=view&current=IMG_7117.jpg
http://s264.photobucket.com/albums/ii170/okgottago/?action=view&current=IMG_7115.jpg

It's hilly with fruit trees (pear/apple) so I'm hoping for buns of steel on the horses. We started work on the other one, so hopefully we can bring our other gal and my big baby Durham home in August....

So much fun :) It's funny, they arent' very exploring yet, and I can't figure out if it is lazy (aka they don't want to go up the huge hill to get to the rest of the field) or if they think they are only there temporarily. They tend to hang out by the water, the gate we turned them out through, and the run-ins. Pretty much all day Saturday and Sunday they stood in the blazing sun at the gate stomping flies, when the field is full of shade tree areas.

[Secretariat2]

Congratulations Julie! I was the same way and my dream didn't come true until 2003. It is a lot of work, but it is work that I love to do. I'd rather spend the whole day out in the barn or fields than do ten minutes of housework! I can see my horses grazing from my bedroom balcony and it is wonderful to just sit out there and watch them.