Thought it was time I make a journal area for me. I think it would be really neat to read back all the stuff I write in maybe years from now.
The reason I have titled it the way I did, is that my life is completely different now. A complete 360. I have never lived anywhere, in my entire life, that didn't have an HOA. I am grateful for my parents raising me and providing for me in the way that they did, but ever since I was a child my heart was in a different place. I wanted the open land with no HOA and whatever animals I wanted. It took 22 years, but it's finally happened. I have my own little slice of paradise! It's a homely 2.5 acres but it's enough for me!
Not even counting all the other benefits, but I've been overweight my whole life, and I'm at a point now, finally, where I really care about myself and want to do right by myself and my body. All of the physical exercise I have been doing is making me feel fantastic. My mental health has greatly improved, as well. Nobody told me how exhausting it is to unload 12 bales of hay! Lol. But I love it. You'd never find me in a gym, but working outside on my farm? It's where I've longed to be forever.
So anyways, today was the new start for me, and for my animals! I have a lot of animals, but since this is the horse forum I'll mostly be focusing on my equines. I have Winnie and Winston, they are two miniature ponies that I bought from Kaufman kill pen. Winnie is a silver dapple 10 year old mare, and Winston is a paint 1-2 years old colt. (He's getting gelded soon.) A few people have expressed they think Winnie may be pregnant, so when my vet came out today I had him take some of her blood for a pregnancy test, I will find out in a week if she is. It would be very unexpected but I'm prepared to deal with it.
Then I have Walter. I met this special boy in January of 2016. I've owned two horses in my life, Beauty and Kaya. Unfortunately for Beauty she was my first horse, and I was quite young with novice parents, and ultimately things didn't work out. I bought Kaya when I was a little older, and we went pretty far together, but depression caught me (Even as young as I was...) and it all fell apart and I just told my dad to sell her. I was around 11 or 12 at that time. I leased horses throughout the years, but it was until I was 22, that I bought another horse. This time, I was an adult and was much more knowledgeable about horses and what I wanted. I could make my own decisions about everything. I shopped for a long time until I met Walter, but it was an instant "YES" for me. He was exactly what I was looking for. He had a few problems, namely his pushy-ness and mouthiness, but it was nothing I couldn't fix. I bought him, and the rest is history!
Well not really, lol. When I bought Walter I was still miserable living in a townhouse with no yard. My poor dogs couldn't run off leash, I was surrounded by people and an HOA. I decided enough was enough, I knew I would never be happy until I moved to a farm. I looked for such a long time for the right house but there was nothing. Until I found this one, and it's everything I could have wanted and more. I feel so blessed to have this house and property in my life.
I spent months working on getting everything ready for my equine companions. The minis were in quarantine in Texas, but they were coming home so soon, so I quickly got them a shelter and paddock built. Next came Walter's area, it took a while but he now has a beautiful shelter and a safely fenced area. I still have more fencing to put up (Boy is it expensive!) But what he has right now is suitable!
When the minis got home and I saw them for the first time, I was in love. I've never seen or been around miniature ponies before them, I just love them!
They were very wary of me in the beginning. But soon enough, after sitting in their run-in for a ridiculous amount of time everyday, feeding and watering them with no pressure, not even extending a hand towards them. Winston was coming around!
I discovered where he loves to be scratched, and realized how much of a lovebug he can be! Winnie is getting more trusting, too. She will finally let me clip a lead rope to her (If I have grain lol) but our relationship only improves every day. Considering what they went through at the pen, these ponies are incredible.
As for Walter, he came home today!! It still hasn't even really sunk in that Walter is AT MY HOUSE. I know that's such a basic thing for some people, but it's like a fairy tale for me! Haha. To be able to go out on my porch and see my ponies and Walter.. I'm still pinching myself.
I got to see parts of his personality today that I'm really glad I did. I got to see him trailer for the first time, and after an initial hesitation, he jumped right in and right out when we got to the house! He is showing himself to be a VERY curious horse. He was really interested in his new surroundings and was trotting around and looking all over the place. He talked to the ponies a bit, even met my dogs which he loved. He is settling in very well! The ponies have mange so he can't be close to them yet, so for now I am keeping Walter in his shelter's paddock until he's used to the new place and then I will open him up to the main paddocks and slowly but surely take him all over and let him see his new digs. He's already experienced his first train (I live RIGHT next to a railroad track so it is very loud and sometimes the ground shakes) And he did fantastic! Didn't even bat an eyelash. He also showed me how he spooks. There were some imaginary dangers and he spooked a couple times, but only went about three steps before he stopped. Very glad to see he is not a bolter lol. I've been on bolters, they are not fun. He's spirited but easy going, as well. He also got his spring vaccines barely 30 minutes after he got here, and did super well. I am very very proud of him. I can't wait for every day I have with these horses.
Anyways, I will leave today with some pictures of Walter at his new house!
The reason I have titled it the way I did, is that my life is completely different now. A complete 360. I have never lived anywhere, in my entire life, that didn't have an HOA. I am grateful for my parents raising me and providing for me in the way that they did, but ever since I was a child my heart was in a different place. I wanted the open land with no HOA and whatever animals I wanted. It took 22 years, but it's finally happened. I have my own little slice of paradise! It's a homely 2.5 acres but it's enough for me!
Not even counting all the other benefits, but I've been overweight my whole life, and I'm at a point now, finally, where I really care about myself and want to do right by myself and my body. All of the physical exercise I have been doing is making me feel fantastic. My mental health has greatly improved, as well. Nobody told me how exhausting it is to unload 12 bales of hay! Lol. But I love it. You'd never find me in a gym, but working outside on my farm? It's where I've longed to be forever.
So anyways, today was the new start for me, and for my animals! I have a lot of animals, but since this is the horse forum I'll mostly be focusing on my equines. I have Winnie and Winston, they are two miniature ponies that I bought from Kaufman kill pen. Winnie is a silver dapple 10 year old mare, and Winston is a paint 1-2 years old colt. (He's getting gelded soon.) A few people have expressed they think Winnie may be pregnant, so when my vet came out today I had him take some of her blood for a pregnancy test, I will find out in a week if she is. It would be very unexpected but I'm prepared to deal with it.
Then I have Walter. I met this special boy in January of 2016. I've owned two horses in my life, Beauty and Kaya. Unfortunately for Beauty she was my first horse, and I was quite young with novice parents, and ultimately things didn't work out. I bought Kaya when I was a little older, and we went pretty far together, but depression caught me (Even as young as I was...) and it all fell apart and I just told my dad to sell her. I was around 11 or 12 at that time. I leased horses throughout the years, but it was until I was 22, that I bought another horse. This time, I was an adult and was much more knowledgeable about horses and what I wanted. I could make my own decisions about everything. I shopped for a long time until I met Walter, but it was an instant "YES" for me. He was exactly what I was looking for. He had a few problems, namely his pushy-ness and mouthiness, but it was nothing I couldn't fix. I bought him, and the rest is history!
Well not really, lol. When I bought Walter I was still miserable living in a townhouse with no yard. My poor dogs couldn't run off leash, I was surrounded by people and an HOA. I decided enough was enough, I knew I would never be happy until I moved to a farm. I looked for such a long time for the right house but there was nothing. Until I found this one, and it's everything I could have wanted and more. I feel so blessed to have this house and property in my life.
I spent months working on getting everything ready for my equine companions. The minis were in quarantine in Texas, but they were coming home so soon, so I quickly got them a shelter and paddock built. Next came Walter's area, it took a while but he now has a beautiful shelter and a safely fenced area. I still have more fencing to put up (Boy is it expensive!) But what he has right now is suitable!
When the minis got home and I saw them for the first time, I was in love. I've never seen or been around miniature ponies before them, I just love them!
They were very wary of me in the beginning. But soon enough, after sitting in their run-in for a ridiculous amount of time everyday, feeding and watering them with no pressure, not even extending a hand towards them. Winston was coming around!
As for Walter, he came home today!! It still hasn't even really sunk in that Walter is AT MY HOUSE. I know that's such a basic thing for some people, but it's like a fairy tale for me! Haha. To be able to go out on my porch and see my ponies and Walter.. I'm still pinching myself.
I got to see parts of his personality today that I'm really glad I did. I got to see him trailer for the first time, and after an initial hesitation, he jumped right in and right out when we got to the house! He is showing himself to be a VERY curious horse. He was really interested in his new surroundings and was trotting around and looking all over the place. He talked to the ponies a bit, even met my dogs which he loved. He is settling in very well! The ponies have mange so he can't be close to them yet, so for now I am keeping Walter in his shelter's paddock until he's used to the new place and then I will open him up to the main paddocks and slowly but surely take him all over and let him see his new digs. He's already experienced his first train (I live RIGHT next to a railroad track so it is very loud and sometimes the ground shakes) And he did fantastic! Didn't even bat an eyelash. He also showed me how he spooks. There were some imaginary dangers and he spooked a couple times, but only went about three steps before he stopped. Very glad to see he is not a bolter lol. I've been on bolters, they are not fun. He's spirited but easy going, as well. He also got his spring vaccines barely 30 minutes after he got here, and did super well. I am very very proud of him. I can't wait for every day I have with these horses.
Anyways, I will leave today with some pictures of Walter at his new house!