Changes are coming

Now that the weather has started to cooperate we are starting to feel the effects of high fuel prices. Horseback riding is not necessity such as food, shelter or clothing. So far this year we have done half the sales in July that we did last year. I really think that when someone has to make a decision between filling up their gas tank so they can get to work or taking their family trail riding, it is an easy decision to make. I wish we hadn't had to raise our trail riding prices this year, but we have been in the same boat as everyone else. Hay prices were up 300% last year, grain prices have gone up probably 20%, it has not been easy for anyone.

So what do we do, well, we try and find other ways to make money. We increased our hay storage capacity so we could buy more hay now while the price is cheaper and store it. We have about 250 large bales and 500 small bales in storage. We need to get another 100-150 large bales and 500 small bales before winter to get us through. We don't want to have to pay 250 per ton like we were last year.
We also did horse camp this year for the first time. We worked with the JCC in Indianapolis and had 13 kids the first session and 14 kids the second. We have had a lot of fun with them. It has been a learning experience for us as well as them. They are only here about 4 hours each day so we try and cram as much in as possible. I think they have learned quite a bit this year, I know we have.
Marie had the idea of doing a "Family Fun Night". We are charging families $25 per person which allows them to come out and ride horses in the arena, fish at the lake or hike. We also have a bonfire that they can cook their dinner around and we do a couple of hay rides as it gets dark. We had about 9 families for the first one and as word gets around we hope to see those numbers go up. A staff writer from the Hendricks County Flyer is coming out today to do a story about us and the idea, so hopefully that will spark some interest.

My two youngest kids have started riding more. Cece has always been interested, but CJ who said he would never ride is now showing some interest and becoming quite the rider. Corinne and Carissa have been riding more and they are both great riders. During JCC camp yesterday we were letting the kids ride bareback and Carissa came in to ride with the other kids. They told her to canter bareback on Redman and she said OK, no problem. Off she went, flying around the arena, I couldn't believe it, no problem at all it was amazing to see her. When Corinne came back from the trail ride with Marie, she saw Carissa riding and wanted to try it. She trotted some and then when I walked away she cantered as well, unfortunately I didn't get to see her. When I asked her about it later she had to act like it was not a big deal, of course. Corinne is a really good rider as well, I wish both of them would get more involved in it, I know they could both be great.

We are trying to start on the caretakers cabin that we are building by the lake. Of course county zoning has to be a pain in my a**. They are saying that because we have the trailer already there we can't have two residences. My point is that the trailer is not a residence, we use it for parties and meetings etc. They say if it has a bathroom and a kitchen it is a residence, well that is bullsh**. A gas station has a bathroom and a kitchen, that doesn't make it a residence. I am so tired of these punk gov officials, with a little bit of power and no back bone, pushing people around just because they can. What difference does it make to the health, safety or welfare of the county if I have two residences on 75 acres. I plan on talking to a lawyer on Monday that specializes in zoning matters and see what happens. I guess you are wondering how I really feel about our County Officials.