After 3 years of prep I am proud to announce that my girls have finally come home. Cupid and Foxy officially moved to my parents private farm early last week!

This process has been a long one, from getting the barn built, to arranging the trailer. But I’m happy to report that the move day when extremely smoothly and the girls settled into their new home quickly!

The morning started by going out to the barn to make sure that my locker was completely cleared out, their supplements were packed, and the girls were fed and ready to go. Cupid quickly caught on that something was going on when I tried to remove her jolly balls (yes, she has two). When I grabbed the first one she was fine. But when I went to put the second one in my car she panicked. So that had to wait until we were officially ready to go.

The trailer showed up on time and was the perfect size and set up for my girls. Much to my surprise Cupid loaded like a champ. But once she realized that we were actually going somewhere and not practicing, she did start having one of her temper tantrums. The girl who was hauling them for me handled keeping an eye on her, while I grabbed Foxy, like a true professional.

Foxy on the other hand needed a bit of encouragement. She has always been a bit uneasy about ramps but with some clucking from the group she agreed that loading would be the right answer. I honestly feared how the girls would load and i couldn’t be any prouder with how they handled themselves. I was able to identify some items that need work but the girls far exceeded my expectations.

The drive was the longest 15 minutes of my life. I followed the trailer and was pleased to see that they behaved and acted like they did this everyday.

We arrived at my place and got ready to unload the girls. Cupid, naturally, had to remind everyone she’s the baby and acted like she had never backed off a trailer before. Foxy, on the other hand, unloaded like a champ and listened to my directions about backing up and then the step off.

As soon as they were released they both took off. Watching them run like that was heartwarming. They did not appear spooked or upset, just excited to check out their surroundings. Cupid let Foxy lead during their initial exploration but once she grew in confidence she took the lead and began exploring her new home.

By that evening both girls were acting like they had been at their new home their whole lives. They were calmly enjoying their hay, making a mess of the water, and determining the best napping spots. Watching them that first night was like a peaceful sunset breeze blowing across the yard, it felt like home.

So far it has been a bit over a week and I am already pleased with how the girls have settled in. They have both stopped cribbing, which is impressive since I never imagined that it would stop. Cupid has begun laying down, stretched out like a cat in from of a fireplace, for her afternoon nap. Foxy has become far bolder than I ever imagined possible, when the fence boards were in the yard waiting to be installed she would trot over them, jumping just for the fun of jumping.

I can’t wait to see how much further they’ll progress now that they’re at their new home. It warms my heart knowing that I made the right choice for them, they’re officially part of the family now.

*Note this is one of the many drafts that have been hanging out in my draft folder that I have finally gotten the motivation to edit and post*

Most equestrians end up at a boarding facility at least some point during their lives. No matter the reason, I have discovered there are seven unofficial rules that should be followed at every barn.

7. If you take it out, put it away

Grooming tools, blankets, halters, lead ropes, tack, these are all items that when left out in the barn aisles can clutter them up and make it difficult for others to work. By keeping spaces clean and neat you are encouraging an environment of respect for your horse and the other riders at the barn. If you're unsure of where something belongs then ask, don't just leave it laying around the barn for another person to hang up.

6. Pick up after your horse

Poop happens, pick it up and put it in the designated disposal location. Not the flowerbeds, not the grass behind the cross ties, not hidden behind the spare fence post pile. Make sure to put it where your barn wants to see it placed. If you don't know where this is then make sure to ask your barn manager or a fellow rider. No one wants to step in random piles of poop, or have to clean up the wash rack after your horse.

5. Clean borrowed items

We have all had a moment where we want to try a new piece of tack, or need to borrow something from a friend, before buying one of our own. Once you have used the item, clean it and put it back in the proper place. No one wants to lend a bit out and have it come back covered in slobber and chewed hay.

4. Read the notice board

If a arena is closed, or a paddock is being rested, it can typically be found on a central message location. Read what is listed and make sure to follow the requests. If you have any questions about what is on the board do not hesitate to ask someone.

3. Own up to broken items

As the owner of a chronic cribber I have had to notify my barn owner of several broken fence boards. If you or your horse break something, admit it to the owner of the item and take ownership for replacing or repairing that item. Barn owners would rather be aware of an issue than discover it after the fact.

2. Clean up after yourself

If you have a snack, enjoy a drink, or simply make a mess, be sure to clean up after yourself. Nothing is worse than coming out to the barn to discover it covered in ants because someone dropped food and did not pick it up. On a similar note, if you bring something to the barn be sure to take it home or put it in your locker/trunk. A clean barn provides a much happier environment for all of the horses and riders who utilize it.

1. Don't cause drama

Gossip and drama create an unhappy barn environment. If you have a problem with someone or something, speak in a diplomatic fashion to the barn owner or responsible individual. Spreading rumors and bringing up issues to people who are powerless just creates a tense environment that carries over to everyone involved with the barn.

We are all guilty of breaking these rules occasionally, but by acknowledging them and trying to follow them we are all able to make boarding a much more pleasant experience.


**Which unwritten rules does your barn have or do you wish it had?**

After the ketchup experiment, I decided that I needed to try something more heavy duty to pull the yellow stains from Cupid's tail. While picking at her tail I did realize that sections of hair at the top are growing in "blonde" so it is very possible that the bottom section is naturally blonde. But because there was fading from the ketchup, I do believe that the yellow is staining.

Tail after the ketchup experiment

Today's experiment consisted of V05 strawberry shampoo and conditioner, and Dawn Dish Soap (the blue bottle). I know several people who use Dawn as their primary shampoo for their horses but have never tried it myself. I do keep a large bottle in my tack locker for bucket and bit cleaning purposes.

To start I soaked Cupid's tail with water and spread the strawberry shampoo through it. This was then combed through to remove as much surface dirt as possible. The shampoo smelled great and really got all of the surface dirt out, but did not do anything to remove the staining.

After the initial shampoo

After the shampoo was fully rinsed off I coated Cupid's tail with Dawn, avoiding her tailbone. This created a ton of lather that I used on her feet. Lately, we have been having issues with scratches and I wanted to remove the excess grease from the ointment. I allowed the Dawn to soak into her tail for approximately 10 minutes while I soaked her hay cubes and conditioned her mane with Cholesterol Cream.

Clearly super thrilled about standing around while she got bathed

Rinsing the Dawn from her tail did take forever. The suds kept bubbling off the tail which did make me a bit nervous about possibly leaving too much residue that would attract dirt. Once the Dawn seemed to be rinsed out completely I coated her tail in the strawberry conditioner to restore moisture. While massaging the conditioner into the tail I discovered that there was still Dawn in the tail. Yay for soap suds mixed with conditioner.

I left the conditioner sit while I put away our tack and then rinsed it out. Thankfully the conditioner and the remaining bits of Dawn completely rinsed out within a few minutes. I left Cupid to dry on the cross ties. Once fully dry, I sprayed the usual hair moisturizer onto her mane, tail, and coat.

Overall the Dawn did seem to remove some of the staining from Cupid's tail. It was not a miracle product but it was good enough that I would use it again. I do believe that it dried out her tail a bit more than desirable, but it was not as brittle as it had been when I first got her. As you can see we're slowly getting the tail back to a clean and acceptable color, but it's a long process due to the amount of staining I allowed to build up.

Not bad but still a long way to go