Just Watching the Ice Melt...

And Waiting.....

Actually, to my surprise the ring melted first. The sand must have really absorbed the sunlight.

However, it is very soggy. But on the upnote, it is going to dry out pretty quickly.

My shoer came yesterday and did the Boys so everyone has "new feet." Toby and Tucker have front shoes only for now and Chance is barefoot. I'd like to keep him that way if I can. It looks as if his feet will hold up nicely. Toby will stay bare in the back, but I will likely shoe Tucker again in the back as dressage requires a lot of work off the hind end. I know the barefoot argument, but I have found my horses go better with shoes. Both Toby and Tucker have full length cracks in their front hooves that have caused issues in the past. I am not sure they would hold up barefoot. I let PJ go barefoot once he retired, but he had good walls. He did have navicular, sidebone and ringbone, though. Still, I think barefoot allowed him to find the best "trim" for his feet on his own. He still limped a bit, but it really wasn't much different than when he was shod with corrective shoes.

I woke up on the brink of a migraine this morning so I didn't go in to school and opted for the chiropractor instead. I am feeling a bit better now, but the headache still nags. Guess I'll just kind of take it easy for the rest of the day.

The stalls do need a good stripping. Trouble is, the wheelbarrow will mire down in the slop and I don't think the tractor will do much better. That means I will be adding to my little manure pile by the ring gate. Once more I will have gargantuan cleanup tasks once things dry out. Both run in areas need a really good cleaning too. The front end loader does scoop some up, but I always end up having to fork a lot in. I am not looking forward to the work.

Today and tomorrow are supposed to be a bit chilly--in the 40's with some wind--but Thursday is going to warm up. Perhaps Spring will actually hang around this time???????????

The performing arts department at school is putting on A Bright Room Called Day, a play by Tony Kushner with a background set in Germany as the Nazi party rises to power. My 11th grade students will be attending a peer matinee on Thursday, so I have been teaching them history and literature at the same time, trying to prepare them. (11th graders have US History 1 which does not cover the 20th century.) They play is very intellectual, so I am hoping I can give them enough to help them appreciate it.

Our performing arts teacher is amazing and all her students--who will be in the play--are being groomed for professional acting careers, so they are quite good as well. Now all I have to do is assure that at least my part of the audience is receptive and trained. I made up a study guide with resources from the Internet for all the classes--including the ones from our other schools who will be coming to see the show. If the supervisor gets the materials to them, their teachers need to use them to prepare their classes. The artists are always concerned when they have to act before their fellow students as they are not always the best audiences. I've done all I can, now it's up to everyone else.

Never a dull moment when you are teaching.....