Where in the world has The Big Red Pony been hiding?

Hello everyone!

So first off - my apologies for the lack of blogging.  Work/life got in the way, but I hope things are calming down a bit, so more time for ponies!

The Big Red Horse is doing great - January/February were pretty quiet for us a) because it was cold and I'm a wimp, and b) our amazing trainer had her adorable little girl and she is off on quasi maternity leave (she's a die hard horse woman...it would take far more than child birth to keep her away from the barn, but she is taking time to enjoy her little sweetpea!)).

Marv was a little stiff in his hind end in January, so we got the saddle fitter and vet out to take a peek.  One adjusted saddle and several injected joints later, (hocks and stifles) he's back to his usual, bouncy self.  Spring shows are fast approaching and I'm  no where near ready myself,  but we might be ok for some local schooling shows with a little work!

Sometimes you have a great ride, other nights you rot in traffic on your way to the barn...

For those of you familiar with MA, I live just two miles from downtown Boston.  It's a cute neighborhood, close to tons of great shops, restaurants, bars, and the like.  We have an itty bitty back yard, but it's perfect for our two dogs (the Sheltie wonder twins), and it's a short commute for me into work every day (I think new biotech companies sprout on street corners weekly).  T has the reverse commute every morning, ie he drives into suburbia and for the most part misses the majority of traffic.

Now of course this setup was ideal BP - before pony.  Now, I find myself driving 70-ish miles round trip 3-4 times a week to see said pony.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining - Marv is living in a gorgeous barn on the north shore (Groveland, MA, to be exact) and it's worth every second I spend in the car.  Yes, I do wish I lived closer to the barn some nights, but I know he's well taken care of on nights I can't be there myself.

On weekends, I can just pop on 93 and head straight up to the barn...total commute time is about 35 minutes one way.  If I leave from work during the week, that drive takes me about an hour and fifteen minutes.  If I'm lucky.  But I have audiobooks to help pass the time and it usually doesn't seem hat bad.

Tonight, however, it took me over two hours.  Part of it was my fault - I left work later than I wanted to, so I knew I was going to sit in some traffic.  But there were lots of accidents along the highway, and that always leads to traffic backing up into infinity...so I finally got to the barn around 8 pm.

It was cold, I was tired, and the pony looked so darned cozy in his stall, I didn't have the heart to tack him up and ride (he's also fuzzy as a yak so it he started to sweat, I'd be at barn till midnight cooling him off properly).  I did give him a good grooming and knocked about ten inches of mud of him, and he seemed to appreciate the lovin'.  He DEFINATELY appreciated the apples.

Somedays, you go to the barn and ride.  Other days, you go to the barn and get sloppy Apple-kisses from your pony and you couldn't be happier 😄

The Cast and Characters

Hello!

Time to introduce ya'll to the main characters in this blog.  Let's start with the star, shall we?

The Pony:

Marvin, aka Mischief Managed, is a 16 yo  TB gelding.  He's big and red - 17.3 hh, and approx. 1500 lbs.  Bright chestnut in the summer, a darker chestnut in the winter, with a crooked blaze and one white sock.  His favorite things in life are cookies, curry combs, bath time, rolling in mud, and showing off his extended trot.

He had a rough life before he wandered my way - he was literally pulled out of a field by my old trainer with a body score of 1-2.  I'll go into more details later on, but suffice to say he really was Starvin Marvin for a while.  Now currently one of the most pampered creatures on God's green earth.

I bought him as a hunter, and while he had lots of success in the hunter ring, we've spent the last few months dabbling in dressage, to rave reviews.  He likes the work and so do I...but do we also want to try jumpers?  Weanie eventing?  Who knows???

The Mama:

Aimee, a 30-something scientist who lives/works in Boston, and drives ridiculously long distances to see her pampered pony.  Rode as a kid, and then took 12 years off from horses after college to focus on her career.  Was not looking to buy a horse, much less a neurotic TB who had "more issues than an encyclopedia," but Marv convinced her to buy him.  So bought him she did, and they've been trying to figure out life together ever since.

The Extended Cast:

T, the ever patient fiancé/pony step daddy.  Not really into horses himself, but shows his support in other ways.  Occasionally refers to Marv as "the red headed step child," or "El Money Pitto," depending on what he (the pony) has been up to lately.

D, our old trainer.  More about HER later.

DL, our current barn owner and trainer.  The anti-D.  Quite possibly one of the most talented equestrians I have personally met.  And a nice person, too!!!

 The barn family:

Too many names to list off here, but let's just say I've been remarkably lucky that other owners/riders at my old and new barns have been more than wonderful - they and their horses really are family.

The support group:

Remember those issues Marv had?  Well, he has a team of professionals behind him that keep him fit and sound.  His vet, Dr. L, knows when to worry, and when to tell me I'm being a neurotic worrywart.  He's seen multiple surgeons at two of New England's best equine hospitals.  His farrier is awesome, as are his saddle fitter and masseuses.  These people may or may not appear in the blog, but trust me...they are the reason he's as happy as he is!

What's that phrase, it takes a village to raise a child...?  Apparently it takes an army to care for a Marvin!

Hello, and welcome!

Hi everyone,

As 2015 comes to a close, I'm taking a few minutes to reflect on our year.  And by "our," of course, I mean me and my giant, neurotic 17.3 hh chestnut TB.  We had our highs, a few stubborn plateaus, and many, many lows.  Still, hope springs eternal...the last six months have been more than amazing, and give us hope for a wonderful 2016.

I'm putting this blog together so I can keep track of our progress throughout the year.  It's more for our benefit than anything else, but I hope others find it entertaining as well.  Because if one thing has stood out in 2015, his horse is nothing if not hilarious!!!

So welcome all...and here's to a great 2016!

Aimee