Posts Tagged ‘removing horse blankets’
Melting Swiftly
The warmth we enjoyed yesterday contributed to some satisfying progress on several fronts. Getting the blankets off the horses in the morning was a good start. Mia has become our new inspiration, having transformed from the most timid and least confident to a master of her domain.
She clearly proved she didn’t need the extra protection of a blanket through the snowstorm. I’m hoping that I may have earned a new level of respect from her for having never forced my wishes during my many attempts to entice her cooperation in being covered.
As the afternoon grew warmer and warmer, we got outside to give the horses some extra attention. Cyndie gave the automatic waterer a much-needed thorough cleaning after months of only partial cleanings in the cold. She was also able to detangle the manes of Mix and Swings.
I opened the door of the shop garage and easily started the Grizzly ATV after two days of unsuccessful attempts. A fresh example that sometimes trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results can actually work out.
Back in the house, we succeeded in completing our taxes and electronically filing our returns.
The melting snow on the back deck took on a fascinating texture we aren’t seeing anywhere else. We have no idea what is causing that. It looks like someone spilled a load of marshmallows.
The strangely shaped drift off the roof outside our bathroom window continues to grab our attention. I took a few pictures to show the changes over time.
While water appeared to be flowing everywhere, we didn’t see any obvious flow in all the drainage ditches on our property yet.
I’m guessing that will change today.
It’s getting hard to pick what boots to wear, due to the depth of remaining snow that is now mostly saturated with liquid water. My best wet boots are not tall enough, and my tall boots aren’t the best for being submerged in water.
The meltwater draining off the roof yesterday changed from drips to constant streams by mid-afternoon. Even though there was at least a foot of snow here from that storm, I don’t think it will last very long against the high angle of the sun and the warm temperatures.
That’s just fine with me. The sooner it all disappears, the sooner I can begin cutting up the trees that the storm brought down across our trails in the woods.
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Calamities Dodged
Sometimes, I feel as though the horses must think we make the silliest decisions. I have no idea how much sense they have about approaching weather systems. We are greatly influenced by forecasts from meteorologists. When the weather service issues a winter weather advisory, we consider how it will affect the horses.
Monday afternoon, we put their rain covers on due to the likelihood of a rain/sleet/snow mixture falling overnight into Tuesday morning. It held off just to our south overnight, but sleet finally started falling just as we were feeding them yesterday morning.
Invasive Garlic Mustard is easy to spot in November.
It was hard to tell whether they appreciated the extra protection or not. Now the extended forecast is showing highs for the week in the mid-to-upper 40s(F) with mostly sunny skies. When it dried up by late afternoon yesterday, I decided to remove their rain sheets.
Cyndie was in the Cities overnight with friends, so I was on my own with the horses. Mix was first and seemed very eager to have the shell removed. Mia came up as soon as she saw what was happening, so I offered to help her out of her cover next. She was fine with me undoing the clips in front and stood mostly still while I disconnected the two straps around her belly. Then, she decided to bolt before I could unclip the small strap on the back.
With the blanket open at the front, it blew into the air as she took off, and Mia just stepped her back legs free of the rest of it as she ran. I walked down the slope to pick the sheet up off the dusty ground, trying to act like it was the normal procedure.
“Nothing to see here. Carry on.”
Mia’s little burst of energy got Swings and Light to come up to get in on the action. I unclipped the front of Light’s raincoat and one of the two belly straps before she decided to copy Mia and suddenly took off running, kicking her way out of the rest of the still-clipped straps.
“Really?”
Thankfully, Swings, the oldest and calmest of the four, stood in place while I wrangled the clips apart and slid the cover completely off her back. As a group, they seemed like they were of a mind that they didn’t need the extra protection we went through the trouble of providing.
We prefer taking precautions, in contrast to waiting to try and help them after they get wet and cold if conditions turn sour.
So, we dodged a few potential calamities this time, as Light kicked dangerously while Cyndie was in the vicinity, situating the back of Light’s cover, and the two horses bolted with straps still attached while I was in the process of removing them.
It serves as a fresh reminder to keep alert to risks every time we are interacting with these huge and sometimes unpredictable beauties.
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Relative Something 