Ride Before the Storm

The Last Nice Day for a While

We have a major snowstorm on the way for tomorrow and perhaps another one for the end of the week. Some people cheer the snow, I jeer it. I'm the one who has to plow and shovel. Bless the tractor, but either way, it's still a lot of work and always a bit of a mess.

Once things start to melt--which isn't going to happen for perhaps four or more days this time--snow creates the worst mud of all. It just turns into a sloppy mess, no matter what. Thing were just starting to dry out around here too. *sigh*

I am once again about as prepared as I can be. I picked up 16 bales of hay today. I poo picked the riding arena and the Boys's blankets are all ready to put on later tonight. Tomorrow morning I'll lug a couple bales of hay into the barn itself so I won't have to cart it across the snow covered lawn.

I drove the tractor for a bit, filled the tank with diesel and made sure everything was working. The snow shovels are on the back porch in in the barn respectively.

So, I took advantage of the last nice day for a while and took Toby and Chance out on trail rides. Since Tucker's shoe is still off, he had the day to just hang out, wondering why he was left out of the equation.

Toby was bouncy and eager to go again. Since he was so enthusiastic, I took him all the way to the back of the woods to the last trail in. He kept up the happy energy the whole way. At one little hill in the woods, he decided a canter was called for to make the climb. I haven't cantered him in ages. It was only perhaps ten strides, but it felt wonderful. I had forgotten what super gaits he has. He came right back down to walk when I asked since the trail has downed trees and some narrow paths to navigate in that area. What a good boy he is. Proof of how all that dressage training pays off "in the field" as they say.

I took Chance on a longer ride around the field and up to the tree farm. He was not very forward. I am wondering if his feet may be sore. His trot is OK, but still not as even as I'd like it. The footing had some slippery spots, I know, but I don't think that's the problem. When my vet comes for Spring vaccinations and such, I am going to ask for a Lymes test for him. Otherwise, until we have some regular, good footing to work in, it's not worth fussing too much. He certainly doesn't look miserable around the paddocks, so I'll just keep an eye on him. I certainly can't ride with any consistency, so getting him fit--an option my vet suggested when the hind end issue first showed up years ago. For now, I'll just monitor him to make sure he's comfortable, ride lightly when I can, and try not to worry.

Winter is not exactly the best time to do anything with horses, at least not a winter like this one.