very cold

Last night we hit 8 degrees Fahrenheit. I went out this morning at 9 to feed and it was 14 degrees.

The horses came in for their feed same as usual, and licked the tubs clean. I hauled some hot water from the house to add to their water buckets so they could drink cold water as opposed to icy water. The troughs out in the paddocks were frozen solid on top, so I cleared the main one and will let the sunshine help out with the other two.

They are in the front field now with a bale of hay spread in piles in the sunniest spots, and will keep blankets on until it gets to the high temp for today, near 40. I like to give them a break from the blankets.

There will be no riding today, that's for sure.

lesson

I had a 2-hour riding lesson with Keil Bay today. We're focusing on forward motion, impulsion, and softness. I need to do less of the work, and he needs to have more fun.

We did lots of baby steps toward these goals. By the end of the lesson he was softening to the bit with the tiniest squeeze of my little finger and we ended with a sitting trot that was quite lovely and relaxed. He's moving well and my head was so clear when I led him into the barn to untack.

He got peppermints and I drank a water bottle. We were both happy as could be.

rainy day in january

We didn't get much snow at all, if any. There was sleet and icy rain and now just cold rain. The horses are in and out of the stalls, not really wanting to go out, but needing a break from standing still. Fortunately they all have paddocks to march around in. Later when the rain breaks I'll give them a turn in the arena to get some energy out.

I've been out several times today to keep the stalls mucked and make sure they have fresh hay and clean water, and each time I go out they each get a turn in the barn aisle where they can walk around and get rubbed. I decided to take their blankets off since they're staying in. Inside the barn, with lots of hay to munch, it stays plenty warm for them.

I'm very relieved today because Keil Bay broke out in hives yesterday afternoon. After consulting with the vet, since he didn't seem uncomfortable, we opted to give it a day with no intervention. I'd started a new vitamin/mineral supplement on Monday, so I've discontinued that for him for a week to let things settle down before trying it again. This morning the hives were gone, thankfully. I hope it was simply a weed in the hay or a bit of something in the field that didn't agree with him.

Tomorrow it warms up and we'll have some sun for our riding lessons.


*******


Around 4, I went out to the barn and got the horses back in their blankets so I could give them some play time in the arena. I've learned from past experience to put the blankets on first if it's cold, because the first thing Cody and Salina do is roll in the arena footing. They end up looking like gray ghosts and have to be cleaned up before bedtime blanketing. Much easier to blanket first and let them roll in the blankets, which can simply be dusted off.

They came marching out of their stalls when they realized I was opening the gate into the arena, and trotted one by one through the paddock and then the gate. I used the time to muck stalls again, refill water buckets, and set up their hay in the mangers.

In between I took breaks to watch them play. Keil Bay was just full of himself, and I was very happy to see that not only was he doing his huge, floating trot, but some nice big cantering as well, and landing on his heels. Even Salina was trotting around, although once she'd stretched her legs, she retreated to a safe spot and watched while the boys went wild.

Rearing and bucking and running, spinning and pawing and play-nipping. They were at it for nearly an hour.

Once they were done, they filed out of the arena and back to the barn. It's amazing how methodical they are.

capturing a snowflake

Someone sent this to a list I'm on today, and since we're going to have some snow Thursday, I thought I'd post it here:

Capturing a snowflake:

1. get a can of acrylic sealant and a box of microscope slides

2. keep both out in a cold garage

3. look for dry "perfect" snowfall with separate flakes

4. take a board and put the slides on top

5. spray the sealant evenly and lightly over all the slides

6. expose the board to the falling snow and make sure there aren't too many flakes hitting the slides

7. leave slides in cold garage for several hours until snow evaporates and sealant hardens

8. bring slides into house, look at through microscope or with a magnifying glass

displaced

Yesterday I gathered up my big bag of books and moleskines, my laptop case, and my camera, and marched it all up the stairs to my garret. I intended to set myself up in my regular writing space, perhaps dust and straighten a little, and find some music to lull me back to work.

Dickens E. Wickens, aka The Cowboy, had commandeered my garret and my chair. His usual lair is in the hay room out at the barn, where he climbs up high and watches as barn swallows swoop in and out. He naps but he also works hard: patrolling fence lines, lying out in the fields with our horses, keeping tabs on the flocks of raven and crow, catching barn mice, monitoring riding lessons from the center of the arena.

Dickens checks out all visiting vehicles, inside and out. He sits owl-like on fence posts, tests the water in the troughs, dodges naughty ponies, and watches everything, our own sentry.

I've assured the Cowboy that he can take vacation days, we don't expect him to work so hard. We want him inside with us. His theme song is the Eagles' tune, Desperado, and I sing it to him sometimes when I find him lying out by the back field, alone and guarding the farm.

While I was on writing retreat, he apparently took me up on my suggestion. Some office time, settling accounts, tabulating how many mice he's captured, how many times he's sent Pharaoh (the neighboring cat) packing, how many miles he's traveled keeping the farm safe.

Or maybe he was simply keeping the chair warm for my return.