The Box Of Saddle Box: A Review

On October 7, 2019October 11, 2019 By AveryIn Horses7 Comments

I have something fun for y’all today! A little something different. To kick start your Monday morning and to make it a great day. Since you know, I kinda woke up like this.

I just can not wait for Friday to come. I really do not know how I will make it through this week…and it is only just Monday!

Anyway. I was asked to do a little something and I think you will really like it. Well, if you are a horse person you will. Even if you are not, it might incline you do do a little something similar for something you are into.

So.

You know those monthly box subscriptions? Ya, you know the ones I am talking about. You pay a fee and get a box of stuff every month or every quarter. Best friend R has done one for herself before and just subscribed to a quarterly horse one. I have only looked at them from far, far away. Very far away. I have thought about them multiple times. For my horses. For my dogs. And even loosely, for myself. I am just reluctant loosen the purse strings and let any money come out that is not necessary (shhhh. You do not know what is necessary!). And, well, let us be honest, I have so much stuff. Too much.

But who cares about any of that? Nobody.

My Lito does care about this though. Saddle Box. They sent me a box and asked me to review them! How fun! I have been coming home every day with anxious anticipation hoping to find my box at my doorstep and at long last, it arrived on Friday! Timing, I tell you.

It is not just a box of stuff though. Here is the best part. All sales benefit horse rescue shelters! What could be better than that?! You get cool stuff and support a good cause! Are you looking for a gift for your horse loving friend? This would be a good idea!

Everybody else was too distracted by their hay and did not know what they were missing out on. Lito came right over before I even opened the box!

L: “Is that for me?”

L: “Hey mom, by the way, I need my toes did.”

A: “Hey Lito, I know, he is coming tomorrow. And it is not just for you, it is for everyone.”

L: “It smells like it is for me?”

A: “You’re cute.”

I apparently was taking too long as Lito went back to his hay. I swear he looked at me as if to say, “when you get some thumbs and open that all up, get back to me.”

We supported a horse named Abby!

L: “Now wait a minute. What IS that? I need to see that.”

A: “It is a lot of fun stuff!”

Just look at how full that box is! It is overflowing!

You can never have too many hoof picks! Seriously. Every grooming box, every room, on your saddle, in your saddle bags, in your truck. They are like halters and candy.

Fiebing’s saddle soap. Always a staple to have around. I have been using it for years because my Pops taught me to. It is also helpful to have it not only in the barn, but at home too.

Shedding blade. I do not have one like this and I am excited to take it for a spin on muddy winter coats and shedding spring time coats.

Face brush. My guys love these things and so do I!

Grooming mitt. I used to have and use these as a kid! My mom got them for me. I think for Christmas. I guess that means Santa got them for me. Anyway, when I opened the box and saw that blue mitt, I was flooded with memories of long, hot summers staying cool by bathing horses in the shade of the Pecan trees.

I actually have a sign of that notice sticker that was gifted to me by a friend in the group I am going riding with next week! I think I will put the sticker on the inside lid of of my travel tack trunk.

And you know. Lets be honest. You can never have too many books of tips or vet wrap. What can you not do with vet wrap? It is like duct tape.

These were the real winner here, though.

L: “Now that smells like noms!”

L: “Peppermint noms!”

L: “Me wants more of dems!”

L: “I like des. I eat dems.”

Coming from the picky horse, that is something!

M: “Hey wait. Where is mine?!”

A: “Shhh. You’ll like these treats too.”

I think I kinda want one! I feel like I see a black hole? Do you see it? I really want it just for the different treats to try.

Go check Saddle Box out and tell them we sent you! You will want to do this I think. You will get a lot of great things! In just one box! And, stuff you will use and your horse will like.

Walk in love, dear readers! It is going to be a good week! Let’s make it a great Monday!

Beautiful

On May 21, 2018 By AveryIn Dogs, Horses, Life6 Comments

“The best and most beautiful things in the world can not be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.”
~Helen Keller

Thank you for the inspiration, Sarah!

I got home from work Friday to find this…

Naughty little dog. The Darcy Doolittle found some horse treats that R had somewhere. She decided they were indeed for her. Good thing I have an indoor/outdoor rug. Us traveling horse gals can be hard on the finer, indoor things of life. Tracking in shavings and hay, leaving burrs all over the house, and eating horse treats off the floor. You know, everyday stuff. Have I ever told you about the time Darcy ate crayons? No? Well, that is indeed a story for another day very soon. Anyway.

I wonder why she left the crumbs? A snack for later? Maybe she saved them for R’s cat? How sweet.

Not having time for such nonsense, I shook my head at her as she wagged her tail innocently at me before we loaded up and left. We had good times awaiting us.

I met up with some friends Friday evening who were spending the weekend doing fun horsey things. We talked and laughed, ate and drank, and listened to music. I had a grand time and got back to the farm late.

Which, indeed made waking up early to do all the things a wee bit difficult. After some encouragement from Darcy and Petunia protesting the late breakfast service, I got up and started the day. I rode Chance and Lito between moving sprinklers and taking care of other odds and ends. There are always a ton of odds and ends.

After riding, I loaded Lito a couple of times. You know, practice makes ~~perfect~~ better, better, better. He self loaded twice and was calm and confident so we called it a day. He is back to nickering at me when I come in to unload him which makes me more than happy. I am going to take him and Cheetah to a friend’s in a couple weeks for a fun, low key day.

Kisses for everyone from Lito. The day could not have been more beautiful. Not too hot and not really humid. Scattered clouds providing occasional blocks from the sun. A good breeze.

I had a late lunch after finishing up and went back to my friend’s for another fun evening. Friends and laughter along with a sunset like the above, is great for the soul and you feel it right down in your heart.

Sunday morning greeted us with an unexpected, and most welcome, chance of rain. I quickly packed up, left, and went to the car wash in hopes of ensuring some moisture. Here is hoping it worked! It was practically a gully washer in town!

What beautiful things did y’all get up to this weekend?

Walk in love, dear readers, and make it a great Monday!

Tidbits Part Two

On April 20, 2018April 19, 2018 By AveryIn Uncategorized6 Comments

Really, just because the last one was so fun. Here is a little more. And because it is Friday and that means the weekend!

I prefer animals to most people. They are just honest and pure. Their intentions are clear and they do not have expectations.
My dog, Darcy, sleeps on the bed with me. She has her own sheet to contain the dog hair. She is not however, allowed on the other furniture. Boundaries, man.
Even though I do not wear makeup all the time, I actually really do enjoy putting it on and the finished product. I am just lazy and it hurts my eyes after a while.
I do laundry when I run out of clean boot socks. Priorities. That also means I do mountains of laundry at the same time. It is exhausting.
I have a friend I met in college that thinks it is weird that I do my own laundry. I am still not sure what this means about me. I chalk it up to the fact that we are really different from each other. If we were any more different, we would me more alike. I love that.
My sisters once locked me in a dog crate. It was rude and funny.
I thought about being a graphic designer, an architect, or a landscape architect before I settled on geology in school.
I ~~have~~ used to have a very strange fear of getting stuck in cars. Like stuck in the mud. Strange, I know. This is inexplicable to both me and my father.
I used to wear reading glasses and I probably still should. I have an eye that moves faster than the other. I still to this day use guides for my eyes when I read, otherwise I lose my place.
I was never really into most Disney movies growing up. If it wasn’t a horse or dog movie, I did not really care about it. My friends find this odd.
I sometimes dream about just driving past my office and just rolling down the road. Just not show up one day. I did that in high school too. I never could get up the nerve to just do it though.
I like to Sunday drive every day of the week. It appears that this makes many other drivers, apparently in a rush, angry. I get sped around often. My eldest sister tells me I drive like an old person. What can I say, I am an old soul.
I like to drink Coca-cola with lime.
I am minus an appendix and four wisdom teeth. Why do they call them wisdom teeth? Speaking of teeth, three of our horses got their teeth floated today. Also, having had surgery, I really do not understand why people elect to have surgery for non health related reasons.
I did not start drinking coffee until I was in my last year of undergrad. Speaking of coffee, I think I will have another cup. Why not, it is Friday after all.

Have a great day and walk in love, dear readers!

Exciting.

On November 17, 2017November 17, 2017 By AveryIn Horses, Life6 Comments

I am going to get learned this afternoon/evening. That is right, learn-ed. And I am turbo excited about it.

A certain Olympian that even non equestrians might know of is going to be in town giving a masterclass and about a year ago, I bought a ticket to audit it. Because, well, how could I not? Duh, I had to. Life is about opportunities, and this is one!

I have heard very good things about Charlotte Dujardin Obe‘s clinics and I am exited to see and hear in person. There will also be vendors, so there is also that. Hopefully I practice restraint and not spend too much. No promises that I will not be the first one there…

Exciting, I know.

Do not be jealous, I will share all the details and exciting learning with you!

Can you tell I am excited???

Not your average Friday night out I dare say.

Walk in love, dear readers!

Directive

On November 10, 2017 By AveryIn Life2 Comments

Until further notice, celebrate everything!

That is my directive to you, dear readers! Make it a mantra. AHA moment. It is one of the secrets to life. Yes, I know. You’re welcome.

Hard sometimes? You bet your boots. But hey, anything worth doing, right?

An unexpected day off today, so I am changing it up for my long weekend. Darcy and I hit the road Thursday after work for some fun with Middle Sister, K and we are going to celebrate life for every minute. Starting with us pretending to be ‘ladies who lunch.’ And yes, there will be plenty of puppy cuddle time.

Walk in love!

Psalms & Proverbs.

On April 5, 2017April 5, 2017 By AveryIn Faith, Horses, Music6 Comments

The trail ride I am going on this weekend is an annual thing. I have been going for about five years now. It is always a super fun time and is my favorite ride of the year. On the Sunday of the weekend, we ride out to a nice place and gather around for a quick little sermon on the trail. There are moments of laughter and there are moments of tears. The message is usually strong.

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This was last year’s ride with Ike. Last year’s ride was after Easter and I was able to wear a straw hat. Some of the people we ride with stick to those old hat season conventions. Me, I do not care for them. It is too dang hot down here to be wearing a felt hat for months. We only have a few weeks of ‘real winter’ down here usually. I took Ike because my Cheetah beetah had a hoof abscess AND white line. Ugh. I will let that sink in for you horse people. That was rough. For 3 months. Since Easter is next weekend, I will have to wear my felt hat and it is supposed to get into the mid to high 80’s.

Anyway, I digress. A few years ago, it was a rainy Sunday. It was decided that instead of riding out, we would just stay at camp and have our sermon in the pavilion after breakfast, then everyone would go home early. The radar predicted it to be wet all day (and it was, go figure, very wet indeed). This particular Sunday was also a somber one. One of the ladies had just lost her mother. As you can imagine, there were many tears shed over the weekend, but what I remember just as much or more than the tears was the fellowship. Everyone really came together in support. It was extremely touching. I jotted down this closing line of the sermon focusing on Psalms and Proverbs before the closing prayer. Your AHAmoment for the day.

“Be calm and confident and leave it there.”

This year I offered to play (ha! not me, my device) a song to add to the experience since we all know how I am about music and I thought it would be a nice touch. I suggested a few songs to be chosen from. This was the winner. A lovely story and message (thanks to Jason Eady – Topic on YouTube for the vid).

This coming Sunday is Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday naturally made me think of Easter and my favorite Easter song (thanks to Mike McClure – Topic on YouTube for the vid).

Can you tell I am ready for the weekend? It is literally all I can focus on. Lucky for me, it is going to come one day early! Tomorrow we have some important meetings and things that need to get done, but then I am off to the farm after work. Friday 10 AM arrival for good times.

Walk in love, dear readers!

3 Things

On February 13, 2017February 13, 2017 By AveryIn Horses, Life18 Comments

I had a friend tell me that she was feeling blue yesterday after a great weekend and that she did not know if it was because the weekend was over or because of the unknown future. It got me thinking as I have often felt the same way myself and my suggestion was to:

Focus on something good from the weekend (or past), something good right in front of you, and do something fun for yourself tomorrow. Nobody knows the future, so you are not alone!

Too bad I can not seem to do that for myself in those moments, so I think I will do the same thing for myself right now. We all have something to be grateful for even when it is all going up in smoke and hitting the fan. AHAmoment. It also seems like a good idea since I am supposed to be practicing self love and all that. Disclaimer, this may or may not turn into another love fest, and I will make zero apologies for it.

Something good from the weekend.
I rode 3 amazing horses.
Saturday I took Second Chance, Chance on a road ride with some long time friends. It was terribly HOT. Like sweating at 8 in the morning hot. He was amazing even though he made some ugly faces at some other horses. It was quite comical, really. I also got compliments on his butt. It is pretty big. I really need to show you what he used to look like. I love how he shines like a penny even when he is a woolly bear.

Sunday morning I rode the my best gal, Cheetah. We did some arena work with transitions and ground poles before going down in the pastures to check the cows and let her really open up and stretch her legs. I did not get any photos because I was having too much fun. I finished out the morning doing some chores and unpacking the trailer. Then, my parents (the most amazing parents ever) met me for lunch at a nearby town on their way home from out of town and then came back to the farm so I could ride my Lito. I could not ask for better parents or a better colt. Seriously. This horse. I think it was his 10th ride or so and the first ride in a couple months. He was AMAZING. He was much more forward and fluid than he has been. That was a little bit of a worry for me. It reminds me to stay the course and do not lose heart. He is still learning. AHAmoment. He is just so easy, brave, and keeps getting better…and taller. I will stop before I explode.
Something good in front of me from today.
My dog is tired and happy from running at the farm and my boss told me she was proud of my work. Boom. Enough said.
Something fun for myself tomorrow.
My bible study is having a Valentines party as our class. Thank goodness because I do not like Valentines Day!

Pretty dang good at present. Certainly can not complain.

What are your 3 things? Something good from the weekend (or past), something good in front of you today, and something fun for yourself tomorrow?

Walk in love, dear readers!

A Better View & A Better Mood

On February 8, 2017February 8, 2017 By AveryIn Faith, Horses, Life4 Comments

Monday after work I snuck (sorry, I really just prefer it to sneaked, get over it) out to the farm to lock the horses into the paddock for the farrier who came out the Tuesday morning.

I arrived and got everything finished with enough time…and daylight…to fit a ride in on Cheetah. We have now redeemed ourselves from Saturday’s ride, and thank God, literally. AHAmoment. I did thank Him, for the ride and more. I have been pretty aggravated ever since Saturday, let us be honest.

It was a great ride and I feel better for it. I truly believe she does too. We just rode. That is all. Just for the fun and love of it. No agenda. No plans. No expectations. No pressure. Took what we had. Just rode for the shear joy. What IT is all about. AHAmoment, again! Those are our best rides. You can still make progress and work towards goals. Funny how that happens.

I snagged these quick videos for those of you who want or need a different view for a few seconds. If you are like my Niece, I welcome you to pretend you are riding. I will not tell anyone. Please notice the sun in that first one! I have decided I am not complaining about clouds anymore (sorry about Monday!). Do you know how many times in the Bible clouds represent God? A lot. Think about that. Do you want me to say it again??? AHAmoment! Also, clouds make the sun more brilliant when it shines through. So there.