5 real cats and two horses.

Cat related:

My 5 cats eat Wellness canned food, which is quickly driving me to the poor house.  The price goes up and up, and they no longer include it in the frequent buyer club at my local pet supply store.  I like it because the ingredients are high quality and it is grain free... but I spend over $70 a pop on wet cat food at least once a month.  :(

That doesn't even factor in Renard's prescription dry food that drives me up the wall because its quality is for crap.  I really doubt he needs it too... I give it to him grudgingly as he had the kind of bladder stones caused in the first place by eating urinary tract food.  Grumble grumble grumble.  So expensive plus it's bad for Bonnie's kidneys - but the vet would rather her be mainly on wet and have Renard have access to the dry.

Today I stood around the store, reading labels, and decided on a few lower-priced ones to try.  They aren't grain free, but I really need to save moolah and, as a bonus, all are in the frequent buyers club.

So, starting tonight, we try experimenting with Prairie Homestyle, Merrick, and Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul.  Tonight's lamb stew went over well so far.  We are alternating the new foods with the Wellness, so hopefully their digestive systems won't get too grumpy.

Horse related:

The main reason for going to the pet supply store was to pick up a furminator.  Yep, got one for the horses.  Peanut looked so clean and shiny when I was done, even though he is still a yak.  Rick got a whole mess of hair off of Gene with it.  I don't know if it was any better than my normal tools with Peanut, but he's not in full shed yet.  Rick really liked it.

We then went on a trail ride.  I felt really unbalanced the whole time and kept shifting the saddle to the right.  Very annoying and discouraging.  I have asked for bareback lessons, and have sent out an email proposing a lesson date.

We rode in a lot of open areas, including one where the only time we rode there both horses completely flipped out and we had to turn back once we got them to stop spinning.  They did well.  Peanut had a slight sideways spook at nothing, both hated it when the ground got sodden at the low points, but all-in-all it was well.  I felt bad for Peanut, though, as I didn't feel our normal connection and instead felt like a piece of awkward luggage that he had to tote around.  He could have done better if I felt better.  I kept feeling him adjust to my attempts at adjustments which made me wish he had a better rider.

Now that Rick lets Gene decide where to put his feet they are getting along famously on trail.  :)

In other news: so very sunburned.