March 8th release for Hazel...

That's my goal. If I am successful in the next few days and get her in the mail to the casters early next week.. theeeen I will be confident in announcing that date firmly to my yahoogroup and preparing sales material (photos and sales terms).

For now it's my goal. I'd really hoped to be ready by March 1st. Frankly though I'd rather perfect some of the details.

I *do* need to take on money shortly after shipping (one reason alone is that I insure to the hilt and have paid $85 for faster shipping/bigger triple boxing in the past). But also because once the horse is at the casters, they want money for .. well.. casting. :) Quite a bit. I've never understood casting without knowing the mold and casts could be paid for.

Meanwhile, veining is going nicely. I just dig her feet with nail holes & nails (not extra holes, but just those little divots above the crimped nail ends. I'm on the fence about 3 or 4 nails per hoof. I had a long talk with my farrier about how he'd shoe a horse for all-purpose but tougher work like eventing. I've long ago decided to leave calks off because a performance fan can always make wee ones to tack on, but calks aren't desirable in a LOT of things Hazel could potentially be doing.

And what's keeping me company right now while I'm delving into all this finite last minute fiddling is this:
Chosen by a Horse: How a Broken Horse Fixed a Broken Heart (Audio CD)
by Susan Richards (Author)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1569474192/bookstorenow600-20
I'm listening to the version read by Lorna Raver and recommend that specifically. Her way of delivering the dry humor has forced me a few times now already to lift my tool from poor Hazel because I am laughing too hard.

It's a memoir and I'm sure it will soon be bringing me some tears, but for those who read earlier about my own horse, sometimes it's good to stop and appreciate the good and bad together. Anyone who's had pets for life goes through these things eventually. Anyhow, I am a whole decade younger than the author but I really can relate to a lot of what she's going through. A big thumbs up recommendation there. I don't normally rave about the many books a week I get through the library but this one really stood out as worth mentioning. :)

Ok, break over and back to work/listening! :D