We were on the cusp of a hurricane this weekend, which diluted to a measly storm and headed somewhere to the west of Florida.  But still managed to give us some rain.  So, Friday, when I finally meandered to the barn, I hopped on Archie bareback and worked on his circling cues while the thunder built.  Of course, once I dismounted and slathered stuff all over his hooves and shoved beet pulp into his face, the storms cleared.  Life.

My in-laws and grand-in-laws came to visit on Saturday, to celebrate our birthdays over the next couple of months.  I woke up to D crawling out of bed at some god-awful time, telling me I could stay in bed but that his parents were already there.  I can't even imagine how early they rose for the trip.  The day went exceptionally well, including the installation of an electric fuck-you fence for the dogs (it's a mild zap, we all tested it) (and before you think shit, consider that it'll hurt a lot less than a car).  And the first sweet potato beer of the season (not pictured, because it was guzzled almost instantaneously).  And I got a circular saw (so I'm gonna start ripping off all of Emma's jump plans). And, the best part, D and I were done in time for me to head out to the barn to ride.

All the pretty colors.

This ride was slightly more productive, albeit still short.  He's still coughing some and I feel like it had gotten better and has now gotten worse.  So I'm not working him hard because of that and also because he's missing a shoe.  He can still work on bending and lifting and some lateral moves.

Can't.

I rode again on Sunday morning before the worst of the storms hit.  It was 79º and felt damn near cool, but the humidity was at 100%.  It got steadily cooler as the ride went on and the clouds rolled in.  Because of that shit-tastic humidity, I opted just to walk.  It's amazing how much I've overlooked this gait since we rehabbed from his leg injury and the fucker now moves like molasses up a cold hill.

And he coughed.

A lot.

To the extent that we never moved out of a walk.  It improved as the ride went on, but it was alarming nonetheless that he became symptomatic at a point where he previously hadn't been.  I've texted my vet about it and he's not sure if it's an outlier for the data or what.  So, I guess the hay test continues?


And to add to this, I spoke with the farrier on the phone Monday afternoon.  First time since I moved barns and had the BM to be a go-between (I think?).  He pretty much was telling me that if he came out this week, he'd be charging me to tack the shoe back on.  And if he did a full job, he'd be charging me again in two weeks when he did the rest of the barn.  I explained from the onset of the call that his shoes weren't registering as my highest priority in regards to my horse.  He can survive without shoes.  He can't survive without breathing.  So we're going to hold off and he'll stay one-shoed until the guy comes out and does everyone else in two weeks.  I said I felt like he was going to lose the second one in a week to ten days, that I was riding him in a foam pad, and that I'd be texting him some photos if I felt like the feet went to shit before then.

What?  You don't ride like this?