Thank goodness. As beautiful as it was the last time, I really didn't want to go through another snowfall that accumulated on the ground. We have a chilly day today, another cold night, and then heading into the weekend it looks like we will be up near 70. Which bodes well for riding and getting some field chores done.
Yesterday was a nice, long but relaxing barn day. After lunch, I got organized and gave Salina and Keil their Adequan injections, straightened up the tack room a little, and then my daughter and I rode together. She is alternating between her pony and Cody, and I'm alternating between Cody and Keil Bay. So Cody, who will be doing the most work in Pony Club, is getting daily rides. It works well because she is focusing on jumping with him and I'm focusing more on bend and rhythm.
By sunset I was just getting around to grooming the Big Bay, who had conveniently rolled in a patch of mud and was caked on his right side. My son came out to help, which gave me some time to get Salina and the donkeys cleaned up for the evening too. We had brought them in the back field through the arena, and they were all awaiting stalls and hay, so they were clustering at the gate into the back paddock.
Every time I leaned over to pick a horse hoof, I got a donkey head rested on my back. It was so sweet - Rafer Johnson especially insists on being in the thick of whatever is going on, and I love how the horses allow the donkeys to be so close without fussing.
I went back out at dinner time to help with the tubs. It was such a quiet night, still as the temperature dropped, and yet inside the barn we had the mystical-kit racing from one end to the other, donkeys playing chase with him, Salina in and out trying to keep tabs on her boys, and the geldings lined up in stalls watching the show while they munched hay.
Right now the sun is coming out and I'm hoping we warm up more than they expect so today's ride won't be so frigid!
billie hinton’s camera-obscura:
life and lessons on November Hill Farm
You're so luck to be able to get some rides in, it's impossible here, I think it snows practically every other day. I can't remember a recent winter being so annoying.
ReplyDeleteThe little donkeys sound so cute, and putting his head on your back, now that is priceless.
Arlene, I was so proud yesterday when it was 31 degrees out, and sunny, but very very windy, and my daughter and I tacked up Keil Bay and Cody and continued our riding schedule.
ReplyDeleteOne end of the arena that is shaded until late afternoon was still frozen - not icy, but the moisture in the footing had frozen and it was crunchy at that end. So we geared our work into the middle and the other end.
Today it will take awhile to get to the high of 35, but the wind is much less and it's sunny, so we should be able to get our rides in on Cody and the pony.
And tomorrow, thank goodness, we are back up to 50.