Devastating News--Silver Rose Ranch Has Been Sold

 I'm going to talk about my lesson and Pony Club, but for now I'm going to share some devastating news that has really left me completely broken. Silver Rose Ranch, the place where I have been riding for the past year, has been sold as of September 12. Every horse on the property--all 20 something--has to leave the facility by the first of the month. That leaves two weeks to find a place that will accept at least twelve new horses, which includes the three lesson/therapy horses and ones in full training with Meghan(and a few others owned by her students that are not in the training schedule). This number doesn't even include Chester, who is not in her training program with his owner, and various other horses. Not to mention that there was so much else planned these next few months for the barn(Pony Club, therapy riding fundraiser, etc). The news couldn't have come at a worse time.

 Right now, Meghan is looking for a facility without much luck. Anywhere we go will be already established with other trainers, higher prices, and will not accept or doesn't have room for such a large number of horses in such short notice. Silver Rose was a bit cheaper than the other places in the area, but still. It also mostly contained girls my age who trained with Meghan, knew each other well, and didn't have any drama. What now?

 It leaves me with so many questions. Where will the horses go? Will Chester go to the same place? Will I continue to lease him? How far will the place be from the my home, which is already a 45 minute drive? How are we even going to find a place and get everything moved, including horses, tack, jumps, dressage cones, and more, in two weeks? How will that place compare to Silver Rose, not just by facilities but also by the atmosphere? So many more questions are flooding my mind.

 The situation makes me even more sad because the place I spent much of this past summer and even this past year is going to be used for development. The place that means so much to me because I learned most of what I know about riding and experienced dozens of "firsts" in riding--all my firsts in riding--will be gone. It may not be the fanciest, high-end facility but I love it so much and have so many happy memories of that place, memories I will cherish forever. Now, it's going to be gone. It makes me cry. I going to miss the place.