March 2021 – hellomylivia

Hi all!

I’m still here, lurking and reading your posts and daydreaming about eventually getting back in the saddle.

For those of you in the Frankfurter Fan Club, you’ll be happy to know that he is absolutely thriving. He and his kiddo had a wonderful trip down to Ocala where he packed around all three rings and they got to try some new stuff together. It really is wonderful to watch his leaser get to know him, every single time out she finds that “click” a little more. I reassured her that I’ve had this horse for close to five(!) years and I’m still learning something new from him every time out. He has spent his days doing his favorite things: napping, mooching for scratches, and overall thanking his lucky stars that he has a child to pat him and stuff him with cookies and a barn mom to tell him constantly how gorgeous he is. I asked my trainer if he was being good for his kid, and she responded, “Of course he is. He knows how to be nothing else.” Best boy. His barn mom loves to brush him for as long as he’ll put up with (which is forever) and he’s absolutely gleaming.

They’ve also gotten his blankets cleaned, gotten him NEW blankets, gotten him a new halter, and are generally spoiling him rotten. They’re ruining me for all potential future leasers – they seriously treat him like their own and are so committed to keeping him comfortable and happy. I’m incredibly grateful for them ❤

I’ll grudgingly admit that starting this lease in December was the right call. With all the ice and snow and mud and COLD weather we’ve gotten this winter, I really haven’t missed going to the barn and riding. Call me a wimp, but I have never loved riding in the cold and was quite content to stay snuggled up in my blankets and receive pictures of my giant moose buried ears deep in a mountain of hay.

Also all my winter coats have gotten too tight and no longer zipper. Womp womp.

Now that the weather is warming up, I’m itching to spend more time at the barn. I’m so grateful that my leasers don’t mind me popping in to say hi whenever I want, and I always love getting to see them and chat about what they’re working on that week. They really are making great progress together. Luckily my last day of work is coming up next week, which means plenty of free time to go get my barn fix (at least til baby arrives)!

Like I said, amazing progress. And she’s getting Frankie on the trailer regularly for adventures, which he LOVES. Homeboy is so happy to be out and about again after spending so much of 2020 at home.

As far as pregnancy goes, I’ve been very fortunate. Minor aches and pains that you might expect, but nothing terrible and it’s been smooth sailing. We’re in the home stretch as we expect to meet this munchkin in mid-May! I think we’re about as prepared as we can be – which I’ve been reliably informed is Not Very Prepared – but in a bizarre reversal of personality traits, I’m feeling very zen about it (I only have 1-2 spreadsheets going!). We’ll figure it out as we go. Baby will be fed, kept warm, comforted, and loved immensely – I figure the rest is just gravy.

I even got to have some maternity photos done by our very own Courtney from An Equestrian Life! I was a bit nervous to be in front of the camera, but I’m so happy to have some pictures of this time. Also Courtney is just the best.

Overall, I’m thrilled to be heading into warmer weather and all that it brings: walks around the neighborhood with my husband and pup, opportunities to comfortably socialize with friends outdoors, more time loving on my perfect Francis, the arrival of our little person, a step away from a job that was adding in a lot of stress, and all that good stuff.