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Chasing Dust Bunnies and Spider Relocation Programs… All in a day’s work while cleaning out the horse trailer.

I gotta say, when I purchased my brand new, top of the line, 4 Star horse trailer in 1997, I hugged and kissed it – then proceeded to spit-shine that thing for nearly three years afterward.

I was so thrilled to not be bumming rides anymore that I practically heard the angels sing every time I gazed upon its lovliness.

I power washed my silver equine chariot every Spring and Fall.  I scoured the hay mangers, bumpers and walls.  I got a knife and scraped out the leaves and debris in the poorly designed window channels.

I replaced the little red and orange reflectors semi-annually.  I installed carpet over the factory carpet – just to keep the originals clean.

I always remembered to push down on the locking back door handle before I swung around the latch.  Every part remained lubed and pristine.

My trailer was my pride and joy.  It was my mini-equinevacationmobile.

Ahhhh, those were the glory days…

AS THE YEARS PASSED

As the years passed, I began to lighten up…

Sure, I cried the first time I scraped off the left wheel-well bumper thing.  And it really is a pain to have to maneuver the gooseneck ‘just so’ because the hitchplate is stuck, but really, all is still fine.

I mean, yeah, I have driven off with the back doors open.  They swung shut once I hit something.  No one was hurt except the rear door which has a branched-shaped ding as a reminder.

And, yes, I have forgotten to slam the tack room door hard enough and then had some nice passerby drive up beside me and scare me to death, “Look in your mirror, Lady, your door is open!”    Yup, I miss all of those curry combs and grooming items which were haphazardly strewn about some lonesome country road.

But really, you have to take the good with the bad…  I’ve had a mowing gardener spray rocks against my trailer which broke all the windows.  That was bad – but once the horses got used to the taped-up windows they didn’t care.

Oh and then there was the time Hubby backed the trailer over a concrete barrier at a fueling station.  “Gotta get closer…”.  Yup, that bumper will never be the same.  But, I’ve gotten lots of mileage out of that so it was all good.

I’ve permanently reshaped the wheel casing on the passenger side.  It works better this way.  Now I can run up on curbs without creating any damage.

Sadly, however, the steel foot is bent just a smidge.   The spare tire lives in my truck, the precious and almighty hitch lock sits dormant in my tack room and the outside lights just started functioning again this year (a wiring thing).

Probably the most distressing item that I cannot change is that the windows leak if I park at the wrong diagonal during a heavy storm.  But no worries because the onset of moldy specks makes me clean all my tack a few times per year.

It’s all good.

HORSE REMODELING

As far as the horses go, Gwen has knocked forward a piece of the interior stall – she being the redecorator type.   Violet Beauregard has stood on the runners so many times that they’ve bent a bit.  Bodhi had a one-horse Sumo wrestle with the trailer which created a few minor head-butt dings.  But all in all, not much damage there.

Well, that’s not all true…  the mangers are ripped and gone.  Morgans like to get their feet caught in them.

And, since I usually trail ride alone, the horses have allowed the spiders to take up residency in the 2nd stall – for company on long rides.

MECHANICAL CARE

Oh, don’t get me wrong… I take excellent mechanical care of my trailer.  I pack the bearings, check the brakes, check the tires and tune-up the truck more often than is normal.  (Nervous Hen makes the Dodge Dealer very happy.)

But as far as the appearance of my trailer…  I just kinda let the spit shine part fall to the wayside.

TODAY I WAS GUILTED INTO CLEANING

One of the best parts of having new horsey friends come over is that you suddenly see all the dirt that has made camp in your trailer.

As I entered my trusty aluminum bullet to take Finn out today, I noticed all the nasty bits and immediately changed my plans.

Yikes.  Time to clean and organize.  Organize or set up a tack shop…

Truth to tell, I had enough tack stashed in there to outfit a search party.

I had 17 cinches of all shapes and sizes!  17.  How many do I need when I usually ride one horse at a time?

I had 7 pads for two saddles.

I found two pair of sunglasses, my favorite winter shirt, a few halter fleeces, my phone case and a red hat.  Sadly, I didn’t uncover the spare set of keys which I have misplaced in some Bermuda Triangle.

I washed all the rugs, used my mini Shopvac all over, brushed the spiders into places unknown (except for one DaddyLongLegs who was in the horse part.  He fought hard so I let him stay…) and I actually re-stored all the extra tack in the extra tack area.

MY FRIEND ARRIVES TOMORROW

My friend arrives tomorrow and I will not be embarrassed.  My wonderful silver chariot once again is singing with the angels.  Not that I ever didn’t hear the singing… truth to tell, I am amazed every time I look at my two-horse slant load gooseneck.  I had wanted one for so long, that phrase, “two-horse slant gooseneck” feels like a run-on one word mantra.

I’ll never forget how wonderful it felt to drive that puppy home – even though I had no idea how to really drive it…  ;)

I was so thrilled and honestly, I still feel it every time I look at my very own 4Star2horseslantloadtrailer.

I guess I just need to invite horsey people over more often so I can keep it clean, for criminysakes!  <smile>

HORSE AND MAN is a blog in growth… if you like this, please pass it around!

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