Jump Into…Packing!

I’m kicking off this new series a couple of days early. I felt like it needed a to happen now and not later so here we are. Without further ado, welcome to the new series…Jumping Into! What better way to track the progress of moving than beginning with packing (yuck).

I was laying on my floor last night, drinking a beer, and taking a break from packing up our apartment when I just got this crazy feeling. I’ve been so anxious about this move (for obvious reasons), but I felt oddly calm.Besides the time that I moved from home to college, I’ve never moved by myself to a new city.  In what is supposed to be such a hectic and disorderly moment, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. It was such a great feeling. It was one of those moments that you cherish forever because you can never forget that raw happiness and excitement.

And I think there’s an important thing to remember about this. Even though change is scary, it is absolutely necessary. Not to say that I was fighting all of the change that was in my life in the past couple months and now, but I certainly wasn’t welcoming it. That mindset, though, didn’t allow me to grow with this change. That mindset didn’t allow me to become better.

Change is in everything, not just the typical examples of moving towns or graduating from a school. It’s also true that basically every living thing resists change. Raven hates when I give a command a different way, when I’m late with her dinner (or even worse…her grain!), or just anything that deviates from normal routine. And while this all seems trivial, it makes a big difference in our lives.  Think of it this way: If I don’t do things slightly differently, or give her the change to experience new things that changes her routine, going to a show or learning something new will be over-dramatic and will probably lead to an uphill battle.

So, it’s better to just embrace change, because it’s inevitable. Another good way to think about change is that we are growing, learning, and striving to be something better than we once were. I’m trying to take this mindset over everything else, and I think that it’s working!

But then, all of my positive mindset went away when I remembered all of the packing I had to do and how I still need to clean everything before we leave. Uhhh my to-do list is so long….

 

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Sayonara Cal Poly!

This week marks the end of my journey at Cal Poly. While it’s bittersweet to leave the place that made me who I am today, I can’t wait for what is in store for the future. Along with that, I’m going to start a new series on this blog. It doesn’t have a name yet, but it’ll be one for the books!

The next few months are going to be hectic while I am packing up my life and relocating to an entirely new city. Not only that, but I have to transition from the sporadic college life to a grown-up career and balancing a horse with that. I have no idea what is in store, but I want to chronicle it on here in a series because I’m sure I’m going to learn a couple useful things along the way. And if not, it’s going to at least be an experience worth remembering.

I think it will teach me something, though. When I first came to college, I thought I knew a lot more than I did. By all means, I knew that I had room to grow and expand my knowledge, but I never thought I would have the experiences that I did. College taught me more than just technical knowledge, I also learned important life skills that I could never forget. From things like diagnosing a lame horse, to getting through foaling season with only 20 minute naps every so hours, to juggling horses and school and a social life, my college experience equipped me with vast amounts of knowledge for the horse industry.

My time at college taught me important life lessons. My dad died my sophomore year here, and I had to cope with the stresses of not only losing a loved one, but how to deal with the legal stuff after. I also met some of my favorite people here like my one of my best friends or my boyfriend. It’s hard to think of where my life would be if I never went to school. I’m so thankful for these times, but I can’t wait to never take a final ever again.

College was daunting at first, don’t get me wrong. I remember crying while I was leaving the barn after my last visit before I went to college. I didn’t want to go and I didn’t want to leave my horse. But, had I never gone, I would have missed out on so many opportunities. Change is hard and most people don’t want to do it, but that anxiety that everyone feels means that you’re pushing yourself. And that’s what I feel right now. So hopefully that means something amazing will happen with this move!

So, here’s to my last week in college and a fresh start to the world! I’m definitely going to have to take things one stride a time with these next few months…

Moving Barns

In exactly 2 weeks I will have an MBA in general management. In exactly 2 weeks, I will leave the town I’ve called my home for 5 years and relocate to a city I’ve never lived in and be pushed entirely out of my comfort zone.

On top of that, Raven isn’t coming with me. Well, she’s going up to the new area eventually, but I just haven’t found a place for her yet. I’m hesitant to move her to a barn without seeing it first and talking to the people that board there for a very important reason. Most barns will grossly fall short of your expectations.

I wish this wasn’t the case, but unfortunately many establishments have major cracks in their business. Sometimes the footing isn’t right, the barns have old wood that look on the verge of falling apart, the hay is bad, there’s no pasture space, the list can go on. So, while I go on this journey, I thought it is important to remind myself (and whoever is on the same quest for a perfect barn) of what to look for in your new horse’s home.

1. Price of board and services. This is a perfect time to dust off the ol’ computer and do some research of the area. When I lived in Sonoma County, it was unheard of to have board under $600, but SLO has board priced around $400. This drastic difference can severely limit your options, especially if you don’t want to pay more than a couple hundred. It’s important to get some number on cost of living and average board rates in the area.
2. Types of horse housing. It’s also important to know the options you have to board your horse. For instance, some only include pasture boarding, but my mare would most likely kill every other horse if she had to be in a pasture. Knowing the housing situation will also help you determine what you can afford.
3. Quality of feed. This is probably one of the most important things. Bad quality hay means an angry colon which leads to a colicky horse. No one wants a sick horse, so make sure the food is good. If you still want to board somewhere that has bad hay, be willing to haul in your own.
4. Additional services. When I had my horse at the first barn I rode at, blanketing and turnouts were included. I moved, and everything changed. Most barns don’t include services like that in the normal rate. Figure this out in order to know what services you need and how much you’ll be paying.
5. Training policy. Some barns don’t allow outside trainers to come work with you. That means you’ll have to trailer your horse to your coach’s facility.

This is a working list and is definitely not exhaustive. I try to be open to looking at barns, especially when I don’t know the area and if the website looks outdated. It’s important to remember to communicate with people, too. Talking to the barn manager, talking to the trainer onsite, and talking to the boarders will really help you get a feel for the barn. Also, remember that you can say no and if you make the mistake of barding somewhere that you end up not liking, you can leave at any time. While the horse business is more like a community, it can be difficult to leave. However, remember that these facilities are businesses and there will be no hard feelings. Just do what’s best for your horse!

 

Happy searching! Remember to take things one stride at a time!