I Got On a Plane! Random Trip to PA FTW

So I did it!

I was THAT person!  I booked my flight last week and hopped on it to head to Pennsylvania to meet the crew at ISF, meet some big black horses, spend some money, and then literally turn around the next day to come back to reality.  One day of horses, two days of flying.  Bring it.

The weather in Philly.. what the?

So I'm going to keep this short and simple, although this was possibly one of the most epically fun things I've ever done in my life (yes, money can buy happiness).  I headed to Austin around noon on Monday and stopped at Dover when I realized I could NOT show up without a nice new shirt that spoke of an understated but businesslike persona.  I also bought some new breeches while I was there to match. Oops.

So everything thrown in my suitcase, I headed to the airport and hopped onto my flight to Chicago.  There was a stop there and I hussled to my next flight to Philly.  I ate some expensively boring but attempting to be healthy foods at both airports.  Yay.    I got into Philly late that evening and headed to the airport.  Had to be up by 5am their time, 4am my time.  Hooray.

Dino in Chicago

Tuesday morning I hop the airport shuttle BACK to the airport and go to pick up my rental car.  Well, rental hearse really.  I'd asked for a full sized SUV because I love my trucks and I got a deal that cost the same as tiny compact car soo... yassss... all the things man.  I get in the black beast of pimp and head out to the PA countryside.

My ride, the pimp hearse

So its like horse heaven out there.

Plantation Oaks?  Unno, CROSS COUNTRY COURSE

Hideous countryside

Horse crossing #135345346

Convenience store here are waaay different than we have.  Also, this was the biggest and cheapest breakfast sandwich I've ever had.  Oh and it was fabulous.  ALSO NO ONE STARED AT ME WEARING BREECHES I MEAN OMG.

Surprised I didn't crash into anyone or anything with all the oogling I was doing while driving.

Its now "equestrian crossing."  I must be getting close to the motherland.

Yasss

More yassss

I was set to live there forever until I remembered it quit snowing there like... a few weeks ago.  Gross.  ISF didn't disappoint and I drove up, parked where I guess was the office, and walked inside.  They were super nice, showed me to the barn and we did the horse dance there.  I pet my first Friesian (who felt like a horse, shockingly) and we tacked up to head to the indoor.  Everything was fabulous (seriously, I'd go on for pages here if I could) and the ride was fine.  The mare I'd narrowed it down to was Jade and she was a good girl but lacked forwardness that I like.  Eh, she'd just turned 4, I had time to fix that.  They let me walk her out of the indoor, around the building and down to the outdoor where we walked over some poles like epic people/horse types and then headed back.  I laughed at her canter... it was sooo big and sooo fun and I'm suuuchh a goober.

Oh good, she's derpy.  She'll fit right in (y)

Friesian feet AND water OMG!!! She didn't burst into fungus flames (the internet says Friesians melt in water)

Did you just call me derpy?

 Also, when they ask if you'd like to go on a tour, the answer is YES OMG YES!

Stallion Barn ISF Sign

Judgement ISF's grumpy old man ass.  "I won $1.5 million dollars and you're not a mare gtfo"

Florianus and his fine ass self.  I could go warmblood for him.

This place is the worst.  In opposite land!

I keep my stallions here.

The thing with all the windows?  Yeah, I totally rode in that.

We got done, did business things, I went to the office, made an offer and bought a horse.  All before noon word.  Next order of business was to head to Boyd Martin's place and sneak to the gates like a ninja, take a selfie and bolt before he could have me arrested.  The ISF people stopped me before I left though to offer some nice toursity advice and see what my plans were.  I told them about Boyd's and they laughed, before picking up their phones to text him that I was coming.  Oh and then ask if I wanted to stop and Phillip Dutton's... the Schramm's and so on.

WHAT IS THIS PLACE?

So I'm all excited but only time for one, so I stick with Boyd's.  I head over there and less than 10 minutes I'm there and its all awesome and people are prepping huge gorgeous horses over huge jumps before they head out to some local huge gorgeous facility for a huge gorgeous show.  Seriously, this part of the world is sooo different.

Not having to stalkerize a selfie at his gate.

And yes, I got asked 100003432 questions about Texas lol.

Cortez getting his... adjustment on?  I seriously don't recall what this treatment was called.

Jumps haaayy

Boyd's valley of cross country torture

I hung out with Boyd and his lessons for the afternoon and it was soooo fun.  I was like a golden retriever puppy chasing after his scooter all around the cross country course.  He had to head off to the show finally so I headed back to Philly where I ate what else?!?!  Joe's Crab Shack (there are waaay too many philly cheesesteak options in that town!).  I head to the hotel, pack, and sleep briefly before heading to the airport at like 3am.

Whew!

I had a great whirlwind trip and bought a horse.  Whoop!

I also had a 3 hour delay in Houston... SO CLOSE TO HOME RAWR