Icicles

The things we do for our horses.  It was another very long work week, but that was OK. 

However, the weather swung from a warm, wet, rainy fifties type thing to now plunging into sub zero temperatures.  I am one of those people that chooses to blanket my horses.  However, it means paying attention in these weather shifts.

It also means that with my current schedule, that I sometimes have to crawl out to the barn at 10pm at night.  In my work clothes.

Which usually is OK, except for last night.  I thought just for a quick run in the indoor arena and blanket changing, I would be fine in my light winter jacket, thin winter gloves, and jeans.  I was wrong. 

The horses, however, had a great and brief time in the arena.  The Semi Feral mare, despite her name, is pretty reserved in the arena.  She loves to do a few laps and then gets her roll on.  The filly, on the other hand, thinks it is an absolute free for fall.  She bucked, she reared, she made me wonder why I want to ride her. 

I decided to then run around the arena too in a futile attempt to stay warm.  I then realized that I had a horse stalking me.  Danged red stalker filly.

I decided to go hang out on the (very tall) mounting block to see if the filly would come over and say hi.  She impressed me and decided to line herself up right next to the mounting block.  I had been working with her in hand on lining up to the mounting block, so she would be ready and comfortable for actual riding, but the fact she did this loose at liberty was pretty cool.

I decided to cut this a little bit shorter and brought the heavier blankets out.  The filly saw hers and galloped over across the arena and dove into them.  Good progress, I think, as she used to be uncertain about the crinkling noises of windbreakers and horse blanket turnouts for the first year or so of her life.  Glad to see her just growing up so well.  Plenty of things to work on, but plenty to be pleased about.

The semi feral mare was pretty polite and happy about having her clothes back on too.

Today was supposed to be the big dental day for both horses, but I received a call this morning asking if I would reschedule. 

Absolutely a bright idea as I wouldn't even want to think about floating a horse's teeth when the water would be freezing on the float.  We'll see if we can keep this appointment next week instead.

So while it is pretty cold, I'll see if I get out to ride or work with them.  I still like to brush them and check on them, but I don't feel it's fair to exercise them in subzero temperatures.  Even though I have an indoor arena, it's still quite cold in there.  

How about you?  How does your winter riding regime change?