Update 1: Penn's New Home

Alright, it's time for some updates. Because I've actually been super busy, which is why I haven't posted updates.

First up, Penn is no longer mine.

PC: Austen
She took AMAZING pictures of Penn and me, on short notice, in 5 degree weather. They'll get their own blog post!

I had a bunch of health issues at the start of the year, and I felt completely drained/wound up/fried from monitoring Penn's care. Does he have enough ace, is he out of supplements, oh wait I need to drop off more needles, did he get to go out today because if not I need to make sure I go walk him, is he trying to bounce around too much, etc. My blood pressure was in "needs to be hospitalized" range (it was discussed with me by my doctors). I needed to make a life change for my benefit.

Then on top of all that, he started being disruptive to ride... which is the only exercise he was allowed to have. I had to ask people to hold off on trotting/cantering around the ring because he was threatening to buck and play. He almost dumped me in early January from leaping in the air and playing before I could get his head back up. I NEVER ask people to stop doing what they're doing because my horse is having an issue... I work it out with the horse. The only problem was, I couldn't send him forward to put him back to work. I had to leave him as a ticking bomb or get off. Letting him play in the indoor or lunge or in turnout wasn't an option- he wasn't supposed to and he wasn't going to be mine in a few months. Letting him play was not my decision to make when it could permanently lame him or set back his healing.

So I made the best decision I could for him, and for me. I called his new owners and asked if I could bring him the last weekend of January instead of June.

PC: Austen

They were thrilled and said yes.

So I took Penn to his new home on January 26, 2019. There were tears (mine) but immense relief too. He is out of my hands. Not mine to worry about anymore.

Chicken friends!

He has settled in beautifully. He isn't being drugged anymore, and he's living out 24/7. There's a round pen for when it's icky outside and the ground is super soft, and there's a fairly level field that he goes out in by himself when the footing is nice. He hasn't raced around the field or round pen, he mostly travels in straight lines when he trots, if he bothers to trot at all. He isn't stalled anymore; he just won't tolerate it. Their horses come and go as they please 24/7, so he'd find himself left alone in the barn overnight and he'd stall walk badly. His new owners bundled him up in all of the blankets they have, and ear bonnets (lol), and sent him outside. They send me updates with how he's doing, and pictures too.

He loves it. He's happy.

While my heart is broken that he's not with me, I am thrilled that he's so happy... and that's really all that matters.

PC: Austen