Basketball Anyone?

I know there have been a few games played Tuesday and yesterday, but bulk of games are today and tomorrow. Which really means I'm not leaving the TV. If there's a sport I'd have to pick over anything horse racing / equestrian to watch/play it'd be basketball. Or tennis... I think I've revealed my tennis love before?

Anyways here's my bracket. I love Kentucky basketball. Like, love. So all this hype about the team scares crap out of me that I'll be heartbroken over the stupid sport!

I've done office pools and bracket leauge stuff in the past but this year I'm sitting it out just crossing my fingers in silence I don't curse my team by picking them in my bracket. 

The Miles They've Traveled

Yesterday I started thinking about all the miles both my horses have on them, literally. Not in the riding sense, but how many miles I've hauled them across the country. I was somewhat surprised Dakota's wasn't higher. Echo's is since I've had her, no idea where she may have gone, if anywhere, for weanling/yearling training. I didn't include any individual farm moves in Kentucky when Dakota and I first started out, there were a lot before we settled. So this is just pure long distance interstate miles, and of course approximate since I don't know the exact route shippers took to get them around.

Echo 

October 2012 - Lexington KY to Michigan

June 2013 - Michigan to Lexington

October 2013 - Lexington to Texas

January 2014 - Texas to Lexington

Total: 2,520 Miles (4,055 Km)

Dakota 

August 2006 - Michigan to Lexington KY

December 2010 - Lexington to Michigan

June 2012 - Michigan to Lexington

December 2014 - Lexington to Louisiana

March 2015 - Louisiana to North Carolina

Total: 2,940 Miles (4,731 Km)

NC Arrival

Dakota is here! 

48+ hour trailer ride and Mr. D has arrived. I swear I hate moving and I hate uprooting him as well. Thankfully the shipper kept telling me he wished they were all behaved like Dakota and that he was a champion hauler. Ate / drank / slept like a pro on the road. It took longer to get here since I opted for a shipper that would stop and let the horses out of trailer at night (in stalls) at a horsey hotel. I hadn't done this before. I think Dakota is in better shape overall from it but he still looked exhausted last night.

After a final midnight check I actually got sleep... aka adrenaline rush of waiting for his arrival. I got up at 6 this morning to check on him and his attitude was much better. He had ate majority of his hay and drank even more water - good pony. Since he was looking good, I gave him literally a handful of grain with a 'bigger' breakfast later in the morning. He needs to gain weight. With a new grain, environment, hay and him being Mr. Sensitive to what I eat, it's going to be a slow process I think. He also needs a bath. Badly. However since I'm brilliant and left all my bathing supplies, grooming sprays, fly sprays, etc in Kentucky with Echo... he gets to wait that out. I'm not about to go buy all new shampoos, sweat scrapers, etc when I'm planning a trip to Lexington in the next month. I can retrieve a majority of what is in Echo's trunk since she's living the broodmare life and doesn't need half of whats there. 

Pre Groom - Aka gross.

Post Groom - Still needs another good grooming.

Finally heard back from the small animal vet clinic I interviewed with and now I'm waiting to set up a working interview so that they can see me hands on with the animals. 

Saturday I'm going to the Carolina International for the CIC 1-3* cross country day. Meeting up with a friend from Kentucky that now lives in NC as well. Really excited for the day. Also meeting up with her in a few weeks for the world premier of Harry & Snowman which of all places, is here in NC.

Updates Updates - North Carolina?

So I've moved... to North Carolina. Not exactly something that was on the radar when I first lost my job. I moved in with my mom, step-dad and 11yr half sister. Something I never thought I'd do. But here I am, 10 days post move.When I was applying to entry level, any type of job really, I had a moment of if you're going to be doing something non horse related, you can do this work anywhere and where would you rather be located moment - goodbye Louisiana. Here's some pics of the last things I did there. I'll miss it, and will visit again one day but happy to be farther north again.

Went to Houston for a night to of course visit the racetrack.

Alligator Searching = success

Snake Hunting = Unexpected

Holly Beach - Gulf of Mexico

I think this building has survived a hurricane or two.

Avery Island and Tabasco sauce tours. Mini Tabasco sauce bottles = love.

Cypremort Point State Park - bay off the gulf

I really wasn't thrilled with the thought of going back to Michigan so I narrowed it down to KY and NC. I was applying for jobs in both states, KY more than NC, but I kept getting more bites in NC. So I came here and am now living in a house with 7 cats and a dog. Thankfully? that 7 includes my 2 who have taken over the ruling of the cat world. Also most of my moms cats are outside except to sleep at night. Could be worse I suppose. 

Holly making sure she wasn't forgotten in packing.

I've had one interview, but they're not in a rush to hire anyone so I still haven't heard back. I've been applying to anything and everything so hopefully it wont take too much longer.

The biggest perk of moving here is my moms house is on a large enough lot I'm going to be keeping Dakota here. He'll have about an acre fenced in, leaving some yard still for the humans and other creatures to use. He arrives March 15, so much to do still but I'll be ready for him. His paddock is split in two so I can have a sacrifice area and easily keep him off high amounts of grass to keep him from exploding and being constantly on the verge of founder. 

The next task will be building him a run-in shed. I'd love for this to be done before he gets here but time and unemployment funds only go so far. Goal is to build something large enough half can be for him and the other half can be used for me to keep his grain / tack / hay / supplies. The run in part will have a gate / door of some sort so if he needs to be locked up he can be. Also the neighbor has 4 mini donkeys and a horse all in sight so he won't be completely alone. They have more land and some trails so heres to hoping they'll let Dakota and I explore some. If he gets too lonely, maybe I'll have to find a mini to lease for company.