Why do I do this...?

My nerves are zinging.

I made myself get out my riding clothes and casual clothes and begin the packing process last night.  I'm taking plenty of spare changes of clothes in case I need them.  I tend to overpack clothing on ride weekends.  You just never know what can happen out on trail, and knowing I have clean and dry clothes back in camp is always comforting.

I'll need to wash all my socks tonight as, well, my usually AWESOME zipper mesh bag system got a little screwed up by a well-intentioned husband (in sum; he didn't ZIP the bag closed).  So, now I'm trying to find all of my wayward socks and get them into my "clean sock" bag.  So far, I've only been able to put together like 3 or 4 pairs of socks total.  From what used to be about 8 or 9.  I can't be mad, but I'm frustrated.  Socks are already troublesome beasties, and now I'm trying to locate errant socks.  Not fun.

Also want to just touch up and clean up my half-chaps.  They're a little dirty, but I must admit, I LOVE them!!  There are some cactus out on the trails (I remember the gentleman I rode with last year got some in his calf/knee and had to stop and dismount to pull them all out), so I'm hoping my half-chaps will prevent me from getting stuck.

The hackamore I ordered won't be here in time unless some miracle happens (like it makes it from Durant, Ok to my post office TODAY), so I'll need to jury rig my hackamore.  Actually, guess I need to take some supplies to fix it tomorrow once we arrive in camp.

I have the beginning of my packing list; one for the horses, and one for myself.

I feel like perhaps I've covered this before.  I'm not sure without going back through my archives.  Most of what the horses need lives in the trailer.  However, I always make sure I have:
1 bag of grain (currently this is Nutrena's Pro Force Fuel)
1 bale of hay
1 bale of alfalfa (this is a new addition for me to try, but I'm attempting to move away from the cubes and pellets)
Equimax electrolytes
Syringes (I just ordered 10 more to toss in the trailer)
Applesauce (the medium in which I mix my electrolytes)
Liquid calcium (this is one of my newest additions after Armadillo Run and Dakini's minor cramping issue)

Honestly, as long as I have quality food for the horses, I can fake the rest. 

Joe bought me a second saddle stand for Christmas, so that will be going with me.  That way I can have 1 saddle stand at the vet check/hold area and 1 saddle stand at the trailer.  I would like a second step stool/mounting block, but that will come in the future so that, again, I can have 1 at the trailer and 1 at the vet check.  Yes, I like being over-prepared for getting on and off my horse. 

Joe also got me the EZ-up step which goes through the stirrup.  I'm going to take it with me for while we're out on trail.  I am sure that my friend J will want to stop once or twice to slurry her horse with e-lytes, some grain and water on our 50.  And, I have a small collapsable dish that I always carry in my pack that I -CAN- put some grain into.  We'll see how we're doing.  My gut says just pack a syringe of electrolytes and dose him on trail with that and some water.  This ride is just going to be hotter than is normal this time of year, but we're going to get through it! 

Tomorrow once we hit camp the day will be spent braiding and clipping and Hoof Armor'ing and feeding the horses and prepping our hold area.

But for the rest of the work day, I shall sit here....thinking about tomorrow.  And tonight's prep work that still needs to be done.  The loading of the truck.  Loading my water tank, clothes and necessary items so all I need to do is the mad dash to the barn, grab the trailer and horses and then hit the road.

I'll "see you" on Monday!  Maybe Tuesday.

Safe ride to those of you getting in the saddle this weekend!!