Pagan and Balthazar are luxuriating in their new home.  I am so happy.  A weight has been lifted, A weightier  weight than I realized I was carrying.  Guilt is like that. 

Went early, thought I had time to feed them, pack the truck even groom them before Carlin arrived.  But Carlin, the ukelele playing, ukelele luthier farrier, surprised me again.  He arrived five minutes after me.  So horses trimmed and wormed.  Then Bianca arrives with her old refurbished float (new flooring, maiden voyage with The Boys).  Threw stuff into the caddy, haltered the geldings and took several deep breaths.  Would they load?  They haven't floated in years, I mean, years.  Strange float, strange people and then of course the heavens opened and we were all getting soaked.

But they did! Pagan took a few confident steps then halted.  Carlin, standing in the rain, started clicking him on.  Who can blame him for wanting the process hurried.  But I asked him to give Pagan a minute.  Wasn't even a minute.  He just had to have a look then, when asked (by me) walked the rest of the way.  You Beauty!  Bianca started trying to load Balthazar but he was having none of it.  Said I'd load him and I did.  My horses are Legends!  I am so proud of them.

Unloaded without incident.  The resident herd; 5(?) mares and 1 gelding stirred up and galloping thither and yon with the arrival of two new horses.  Pagan and Balthazar ignored them.  Too much stunning green grass to eat. 

The contrast between the previous agistment with paddocks full of inedible weeds and this place - a silky green 20 acre carpet is enormous.  This place is neat and tidy and clean.  B's place, a tip. 

I was paying $140 a week in hay at B's, plus $260 a month agistment.  $880 a month.  Here I pay $520 a month agistment.  Full stop.  No hay needed.  I'll still feed them mixed feed for the trace minerals etc. but they won't need the roughage. 

What grinds me is having paid all that $$ so Balthazar wouldn't lose weight, he did.  Jilleen said, 'oh, he's poor'.  I never thought that would ever be (accurately) said about one of my horses.

Makes me ashamed.

Should've buckled down and done this months ago.  B showed time and again he wasn't equal to the task.  I'd politely nag, Balthazar would gain weight and then the cycle would begin again.  What tipped the balance was finding my hay was feeding his horse as Balthazar, being a slow eater, was always hunted away.  B said he'd separate them out so Balthazar would be able to eat his portion.  I showed up twice without notice (usually warned B I'd be coming) and saw 4 piles of hay and Balthazar lip eating lucerne dust while B's chubby little horse plowed through what should've been his.

Anyway.  'Nuff said.  Went to see them this morning.  They looked so happy.  Forgot how to be called up however.  Finally came after numerous calls.  Rewarded with carrots.  They have full tummies and contented expressions. 

And I slept the sleep of the (finally) just last night.