Best Laid Plans

Do you ever feel like the universe is plotting against you? Or maybe trying to tell you something you don't know? 

The Carriage Class is this weekend - meaning, we need to leave tomorrow if we are going. We are technically entered. But, it feels like everything had been acting against our favor.

First, I was super sick. I had some kind of stomach bug that knocked me flat out for almost 5 days. I was completely useless, and wasn't able to work until Monday. I struggled through a full day of work that day (it was awful, and I was exhausted), and right before I got to the final appointment of the day, my truck shuddered and the check engine light came on. Luckily, my final client's husband is a mechanic, and he was able to hook his computer up to my truck and check it out. Cylinder 4 was misfiring.... great.

Tuesday, I spent 6 grumpy hours at the shop, where they were able to clear the misfire but were not able to make the check engine light go off. They think it is some kind of sensor that isn't reading. It is going to need to go back for more work in order to really make sure that this is what is going on though. My inspection is also due, but it won't pass inspection until the check engine light goes off. Looking at all these things, I am just seeing dollar signs floating around past my eyes over and over. $$$$$$$$.

The truck is currently driving fine, but.... ugh. You know?

So, I have a dilemma. Do I or do I not go to the Carriage Classic?

In favor of going:

1) This is literally the ONLY ADS pleasure show on the calendar this entire year in our area. There is only one. And if we miss it - that's all we get.

2) I've had an awful show season this year - we've missed two shows and had two others cancelled because of the weather. We've only done two shows this year total, and that sucks!

3) I was really looking forward to this show - it sounds super fun!

In favor of not going:

1) Adult me says that I just had to spend a chunk of money on my truck that was unexpected, and will have to spend even more before this is all over - so I should save money and not go.

2) The truck is driving fine, but do I REALLY trust it to pull a horse trailer for several hours? If I break down on the side of the road that is one thing, but having it happen with a horse in the trailer would really be awful. 

3) I haven't driven O in a few weeks - she will be fine, but it's just one of those things. The excessive heat, then I was super sick, then dealing with this truck - nothing to be done about it, but still.

So, I don't know. Responsible me says obviously I should scratch. Fun-loving me says screw it, just go! 

It's super frustrating to feel like I am going to be sidelined from another show yet again this year. I've had no luck at all getting to shows. I really thought this was going to be my year.... but I guess not.

Maybe though, just maybe, *next* year will be my year, when I am out showing Dylan. I can only hope.... right?

Speaking of Dylan, I seem to have flipped a switch in his head. It took him a solid week of being here, but something finally clicked in his brain that said "you live here now, outside, and your fencewalking does nothing for you." He just... stopped doing it. If he is engaging in it at all anymore, I haven't seen it. Instead, he is making up for lost time eating. He is GOBBLING everything in sight - which is good, because he was on the thin side, especially burning all those calories walking the fence.

Hello human are you here to slave over me?

Playing with a giant branch that fell

This is what I was waiting for. I wanted him to arrive, settle in, get used to life outdoors, and eat. He has really chilled out, and I think is starting to view me as a friend instead of a suspicious being. I think that trust is still a bit fragile though - this morning he had a total freakout when I was putting his flymask on. I tried to put on his flymask with ears... I never actually got it on him, I couldn't get the individual ears on because he was so panicked. Instead, I put the regular Supermask back on him, but not until after he had backed rapidly halfway across the pasture with his head in the air, trying to avoid it. Once he decided to give in, he literally throws his head forward into the flymask, and stands there squinching and cringing while you do it up. I hope I didn't offend him too terribly, trying to protect him from flies...

He is a quirky, sensitive guy, but he has really chilled out in the past week. It's time to ride!