Taking our sh*tshow on the road

The recent snow and cold ass temps are RUDE.

We are going to be snow birds this winter!

Kind of.

A group of barn girls and a couple of strays (including Liz, and another gal from St. Louis) are packing up and heading to Aiken for a week in February.

We tried to do this trip last year, but various factors thwarted our trip including one horse breaking his leg (he is ok and recovered) and someone in at my work on maternity leave so no one else could take a vacation during that time.

So far all engines are go for February 2020 though!

cliche eye ball shot

Surprisingly, this entire trip is going to cost me as much as a simple rated dressage show.

We booked a cool house to share, making it pretty cheap between 6-7 of us. And the horses will be staying at Jumping Branch Farm. And the rates for a week's stay were also really reasonable.

The eventer gals will also be entering a one-day show while we are there. I had originally planned to do another Starter trial there with them, but have since decided not to. After our Starter event a couple weeks ago, Hampton went lame. And I mean LAME on his left front. Like he was lame coming off the trailer when we got home.

My gut says he was getting rocks stuck under the bar of his shoe because he was overdue to be shod and I kept unearthing rocks lodged under there. He recovered very quickly (within 2 days) and has been sound since. So he would PROBABLY be ok, but I am going to err on the side of caution just in case it did aggravate his navicular. He can totally do a little XC schooling at Jumping Branch, but I feel like one little schooling session is enough for him. I'd really like redemption at Starter level since I couldn't even stay on my horse at the last one, though. haha. Maybe another time.

But meanwhile me and Liz plan to find a dressage trainer to take a lesson or two with!
And of course I will be obnoxiously cheering on my friends at the event as a groom and drinking buddy.

Hampton, left,  and barnmate Yogi will both be going

We are also taking a day to ride Hitchcock Woods of course.

And if anyone has any recommendations I am all ears!

I am pretty excited for this little getaway. Aiken I believe is about 8-9 hours from us, so a decent haul. Hampton has never taken a trip like this, so I'm hoping he handles it ok. I am sure I will have more anxiety than he will. Maybe I'm the one who needs the UlcerGuard.

Who has taken a bigger trip like this? Any advice?