If you board your horse I'm sure you know how hard it can be to find the perfect barn... one where you can ride with friends, no drama, great & safe facilities, and super great care at a reasonable price. Until I moved to Central Florida I had that in the form of Spoon Blue Stables in GA.... I always appreciated my Spoon Blue people, but I think I appreciate them even more after the last year! I wish I could pick them up and move them here!
Lets just say horse boarding in the Central Florida area is lacking... Every barn (ok most every barn) thinks that they can charge you an arm, a leg, and your first born child no matter the shape of the facilities or care given because of supply and demand and the number of show barns that compete against each other. Then there's the lack of turn out pretty much anywhere... I'd have to drive an hour from home just to find a place with any kind of pasture! We recently moved out of Seminole estates because of crazy drama at the barn that I just could not put up with any longer... that seems to be a theme at a lot of barns here too... ugg!
We finally settled on Tanglewood Equestrian Farm/Twelve Oaks. Two barns run out of the same facility. I had to settle for paying more to give Rio what I feel he deserves, but I'm able to work off a chunk of that board making it doable, and so far I love all the other people at the barn. Lizette (the barn owner of Tanglewood has bent over backwards to help me make things work despite some unexpected complications... if you read this Lizette <3 thank you!
Rio, who spent most of his life out on multiple acres seems to have settled into life as a stabled horse with turn out at night in a small paddock... I think he actually likes being able to come in a way from the flies & the heat of the sun. I also have to say that I can turn him out with ANYONE and he doesn't bat an eye... he even gets along with Maverick who apparently can have an attitude sometimes, though I haven't seen it yet! Tomorrow marks one week post move so we will see how this new place works out.... hopefully okay! I am so tired of having an ulcer over making sure my horse is safe, and that I can continue to afford him... But, then I can't imagine life with out him either. The crazy things we do for horses!
An added bonus I'm doing some extra work for riding lessons so I can get back in shape, and there are other teachers at this barn so that is nice! And, I am really enjoying the nickers I get when I walk in the barn, all the barn smells, the fresh air and exercise, and the fact that I see my boy everyday!
I hope and pray we've settled at least for a while... still looking for permanent teaching jobs for next year though... which will be the deciding factor so if you'all could say a little prayer that I get something and that my teacher friends keep their jobs... (teaching is so hard here right now!) I would appreciate it!
Pics of the new place are below! Until next time...
xoxo Rio & Sam
Outside of the barn
Inside the barn
Tack Room
Bath time in the grooming area...
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