So long, and thanks for all the fish!

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Thanks to everyone for all the helpful insights and comments on my last post.

I have been exploring all possible options to try and "move on" from this situation before winter hits: buying bare land, boarding far far away, scouring Craigslist, my network, even in desperation looking to FB...

and I was contacted by a local barrel racer who was in the process of setting up a new facility. We chatted, and I met her out at the property on a Saturday afternoon. It was rough, but potential was there...

Pros:

15 min from home/work (YES!!)

A large groomed sand arena

Round-pen (decent size)

Panel pens with a run-in shelter

Provide my own hay/grain - BM will feed in haynets

Barn for tacking up

Trailer parking included

Cost is 1/2 of previous barn

NO GOATS

Cons:

No tack room, will have to keep tack in trailer (lockers are coming)

No lights in arena, only in barn (plans for lights, she trains in winter)

No turn-out for forseeable future

BM is renting the facility - always the chance the owner could want to sell once she fixes it up!!

What really struck me was how horse savvy this gal is - she said all the things I wanted to hear - how they were running magnets over the ground to pick up any old nails, how she used banamine/milk of magnesia/hand-walking at the first signs of colic, about horse safety/training, proper introduction of horses to a herd & quarantine areas (for the WIN) and her vision of what she wanted the place to grow into. She was super personable, and responsive to all my questions, so we shook hands and she sent me a boarding agreement and I sent her pictures of the girls and she said "I will take good care of your babies!"

**insert HUGE sigh of relief**

I am sure there will be some bumps in the road/growing pains at this place, but I'm relieved that things are gonna settle down, and that I know the girls will be in good hands :)