It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

When I got to the barn today, Jackie was there with Pokey getting ready for today's ride. It may be cold but we are undeterred! Here is Pokey in the barn and you can see I have not yet mastered operating my new camera yet. I was trying to get a picture of the tiny icicles on Pokey's eyelashes. It wasn't helping that he was wiggling so much.

OK, maybe this one is not much better. But at least you can see the icicles. Lilly did not have icicles on her eyelashes, but she did have them in her mane and on the sides of her big ole belly where she is very fuzzy.


This is what you call an Ansel Adams kind of day. Everything looks so pretty after snowfall. Jackie said this is her new favorite riding season. I like this kind of riding a lot too (but nothing beats summer for me, even if it is hot and buggy). When I like about having snow is that in the woods I feel like I have been transported to Narnia, or some magical wonderland. The snow sparkles like diamonds, and sometimes it falls off the trees when you walk under it like a shower of fairy dust. Oh yes, it is very special out there on a day like today.

The bad part about walking under snow is when a clump of it falls right into your collar and slides down your back. WOOHOOO, that can feel very cold. Here is Bill on Charlie.


I love how different the trail can look as the seasons pass. Getty and Henry were on our ride too running around in the snow. Getty has fuzzy cocker-spaniel kind of feet and kept getting big snowballs stuck to her toes. Does anyone know what I can do to stop this from happening to her? I bought some Pam cooking spray to coat her feet with tomorrow. Maybe that will help....

Now that's a winter sky.

The ride was really great. At first all the horses except Pokey seemed like coiled springs. I am sure you all know what it feels like to have a bundle of energy under your saddle. But then they calmed down. No slips, no falls, no attitude. Just a laid back, beautiful ride. It doesn't get any better really. (Unless you happen to be my husband and would rather be alpine skiing all day.)


This is a picture from last weekend which displays the rechargeable battery pack for my new non-disposable footwarmers. Can you see the battery at the top of my boot? The wire runs down to a little disc of heat that has been installed in my boot's insole. It has 4 settings--and the top setting is so hot that it automatically shuts off after 3 minutes and goes to the next one down. So far, this Christmas present has been AWSUM. My husband sure makes riding more comfortable for me, even though he complains I spend more time with my horse than with him!

I hope you all are getting some good horse time in! Just think, in three months it will be springtime again.