I jinxed it!!
Toonie runs are cancelled for today. There is supposed to be 12" of ground and there's only 4. Not sure who's screw up that was. Better still the arena set up is changed so the bleachers will be on the left barrel, and since I've switched both boys to running right first we will again be running straight into the crowd for our 2nd barrel. grrr Last year running into the crowd for that 2nd barrel really caused Voodoo to booger.
Now I know if they are seasoned enough blah blah blah. Simple truth is that around here unless you rodeo your horse doesn't get exposed to that kind of thing.
(I hadn't switched directions because of finals, it was just a nice bonus)
Then there's the hay situation... last year we paid Neighbour Tony to cut & bale our hay. He couldn't do it this year for medical reasons so he talked to Neighbour Tom and told us to call him. Neighbour Tom agreed to do it and cut & baled our hay. Its really nice hay but our yield is way down this year (it is for a lot of people in this area). Last year we had 65 800# round bales and about 280 squares. This year there are about 120-130 squares and only 28 1000# round bales.
** the square bales this year are a bit heavier and tighter bound than last years, I estimate that if they were baled the same there would be between 180-200. still down from last year but not as drastically **
Tom told us he wanted some of the squares for when his son is out on the rodeo trail. Not a biggie, we still have some squares from last year and we use mostly rounds for feeding in the winter.
Yesterday Pie asked Tom what we owed him for the hay, thinking cash. Tom told him he doesn't want cash, he wants 20 of the round bales.
Sh!t That leaves us 8
With the rounds we have from last year and the 8 we'd get from this year we will have JUST enough to get through the winter, hopefully. But then what about next year? Buying our own equipment to hay 30 acres just doesn't make sense financially. Then again basically ending up with no hay and having to buy extra isn't great either.Pie told Tom to talk to me today and we'll try to sort this out. I'm really hoping he'll either take less hay & some cash or no hay & all cash. Not sure though because it sounds like he really wants hay... then again he took over all or most of the hay Tony did last year so its not like there's not other hay out there for him.
If he insists on taking 20 then I guess we'll have to figure out something else for next year.
Stuff happens doesn't it.
ReplyDeleteHope you get the hay sorted out to your advantage.
Bummer on the hay situation. Not to make light of it, but at least you don't have to buy all of your hay at $15.50/bale (like us!). It's never been this high. Ugh. All of our hay has to be trucked in. :(
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was kinda thinking the same thing — you're so lucky to have ANY hay. We have none. Zip, zilch, nada.
ReplyDeleteHope you get it squared (or rounded) away :-)
Yeaaa...That's NOT cool! I would be ticked too...and tell him the hay share (not that having to give him almost all of your hay is a 'share') was not an option.
ReplyDeleteDon't feel alone on the what spooks 'em. I hear a lot of girls (even at the rodeos) complain that 1st or 2nd barrel is set too close to the bucking chute or grand stands or is right under a speaker. It takes a lot of rodeo runs to get a horse used to that. I'm kinda worried how Frosty is going to handle all that when I start running him.
Moon could give a crap less...he sees nothing except the barrel and apparently hears nothing either. One of his greatest redeeming qualities. ;-)
My other horses? Probably not going to be so easy going about it as Moon.
Man, that is such a bummer about the hay. The good thing is your already planning for the winter and I imagine you will get it sorted out. It's nuts when I hear of folks that seem blind sided when they get low, it's like "hello, winter comes every year" unless you've just aquired a herd, you should have a pretty good idea what is need to get through. (sorry about my high "horse", stepping down now).
ReplyDeleteAs far as your barrel plan, going in the toilet, that's classic "Murphy's Law", I bet you'll do great.