I was thinking today about some of the little odds and ends (or not so little odds and ends) that really keep my day going. Without some of this stuff, tasks would take twice as long or not get done at all. These are all part of keeping a working event barn running day in and day out. What are some of the things that keep your barn afloat that perhaps you take for granted each day?
Heavy Duty Washer and Dryer
Seriously, we go through a gallon of laundry detergent a week and usually do up to five loads of horse laundry a day. This includes poop covered sheets and blankets, wraps, polos, saddle pads, and towels...lots of towels. We probably have the most complete collection of towels you could ever find. Somehow, our washer and dryer manage to stay running and get even the dirtiest turnout blankets clean in only 45 minutes a load. And even when I forget to empty the lint trap for you know, months, the dryer doesn't blow up, which I greatly appreciate.
The Equissage, Laser, and Magnetic Blanket
Seriously, we have the tools to become a mini rehab facility. I use the Equissage (aka The Vibrator) on nearly every horse before every ride...it's quick and easy and can warm up a back in the time it takes me to slap on a bridle, boots, and hoof polish. It's also pretty portable and goes with us to events. The batteries last for at least three horses a piece and recharge in the span of an hour.
The Laser was just revived out of storage and is Monkee's new best friend. For just 20 minutes a day it makes his lips wiggle and his muscles happy...it's really an awesome machine to watch work, it has his back muscles jumping all over the place and he leans right into it and starts licking and chewing. Best investment EVER. It's also wicked lightweight and easy to use.
The Magnetic Blanket is used sparingly but is a really useful tool on a body sore horse. It covers from ear to tail and only takes 30 minutes a day. Aside from hefting it onto a 17 hand horse, it's super simple to use and fairly lightweight material so the horses don't bake in it.
The Boys
Basically, this category could either make or break my whole day. The boys, when they're actually trying, are invaluable. They get the stalls cleaned in the morning so I can focus on getting horses ready to work, they do all the boring landscaping work and manly tasks (like blowing the driveway or weed eating, yuck), they occasionally go the extra mile and clean windows and feed tubs and stall walls....and most of all, they clean the tack, which would literally take me ALL AFTERNOON if I had to do it on my own. So yeah, when they're not texting/jamming to Mexican jams/telling me they want to kill me one day/tearing up the front lawn in the golf cart/leaving the horses baking in their 10 layers of blankets...they're all right.
And finally....
The Horses (especially Flaggy, Monkee, and BooBoo)
Seriously, it wouldn't matter HOW bad of a day I'm having, these three knuckleheads keep me smiling and laughing and generally feeling WICKED blessed. Flaggy spent a good ten minutes today grooming me. Monkee is always perfectly wonderful and precious. BooBoo got a really thorough grooming today since it was a rainy day and I had extra time, and he looked so handsome when we were done :)
More rain tomorrow it appears....I mopped the tack room floor today, which means I have personally exhausted all of my petty rainy day tasks. That probably means I will be staring at the ceiling all.night.long in an effort to come up with more petty rainy day tasks for tomorrow. Good thing the Boss has a few Ambien on his desk. They're mine now. :D
God Bless!
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