When I got to the barn I figured it wasn’t really THAT cold once I was in the barn and opted to not put on my carhartt overalls. I figured that I had leggings on under my jeans, and about 4 pairs of socks, and 3 pairs of gloves, AND a sweater AND a fleece AND my carhartt jacket AND a hat I would be fine. Well it was still a bit chilly but it wasn’t that bad. As I was walking through the barn I noticed the first thing that made me mad
Piney’s blanket is ripped to shreds. I’m pissed. I know it’s his fault for letting a horse do that to him but still. I loved that blanket and now it’s pretty much ruined and I don’t really have money laying around to buy a new one. Especially since we are looking at houses (more about that later!) but then I looked down and saw this.
I have no idea how he did that but it made me even more mad. In the almost 2 years I’ve had him he’s never once had a scrape or cut. I’m blaming that stupid little red horse he’s pastured with but I’m probably just pointing fingers. I sent the picture to the barn owner and asked what to do since it’s so freakishly cold I can’t really hose it off. She told me to smear some yellow goo on it and she’d take a look when she got home. When I worked at the race track and a horse had a cut or scratch on his body, they used to tell me "it's a long way from his heart" to which i'd reply "but it's close to mine!" totally the case here, I almost started crying (but mostly because I'm pissed about the blanket).
He wasn’t sore and he wasn’t swollen anywhere. And he let me touch it without kicking my head off like he usually does when I touch his legs. I then spent some much needed quality Piney time and just walked him around the arena and spent a few minutes talking to him. I know they don’t understand a word I say but it makes me feel better.
This was the temperature when I left the barn. Hard to read but it says -20. Yes MINUS TWENTY. With the windchill it was -30. Today is colder with a windchill of -35 and maybe even -45. If the windchill was -45 and the temperature rose 100 degrees we’d only be 55 degrees. We were in vegas for our honeymoon last week and I almost punched a guy waiting in line behind us that was complain how cold it was in Vegas this time of year it was 45 that day…if he only knew how bad it could be. Plus the million inches of snow we’ve gotten this year and we are getting two more inches today…AWESOME….that was sarcasam…
But all those bad things happened and made me mad but this face is what made it all worthwhile. He was a snuggle bear yesterday. And he knows how to pull on the heart strings. When I put him back in his stall he turned around to watch me leave, then he continued to watch me. when I got to the end of the barn he called out to me. he’s a sweetie.
And I did get an award from Wolfie over at what was I thinking.....? I just need to sit down and write it out! Thank you so much for thinking of me!!
First off, you were in Vegas last week for your HONEYMOON??? Congratulations!!
ReplyDelete2nd, I believe in salt water. I put it on everything – cuts, insect bites, as a preventative for thrush. I keep a box of salt in my tax box. Perhaps a little wipe with salt water will help that cut.
That blanket does look a mess. Maybe your barn manager has another turnout alternative for Piney???
What a good looking boy! :-)
oh your poor nice blanket, and your poor horse! i would have cried too.
ReplyDeletei had the most amazing experience today at the icelandic farm. there was this indoor romper room for three icelandics, deep with straw, and they were play fighting like wild stallions. it was amazing! down on their knees biting each others cannon bones, rearing up (even knocking their heads on the ceiling), circling, dropping to the ground again, i couldn't believe it. i have to come back and try to get it on video. they are like wild horses, those little "devils": )
@wolfie - SALT! i've recently learned it helps with a mild case of scratches. it really does and i just read in Equus that it's been used that way traditionally. it was moving to germany; here i found people doing it.
I really do heart those little devil ponies, as long as I'm not interacting with them lol. They are so interesting to watch how they interact with each other. they are almost always touching each other and since they have no natural preditors in Iceland they are less likely to spook and are much calmer than the big horses.
ReplyDeleteI had my blanket patched up and it was $50...ugh...it lasted about a week before it was ripped to shreds again. He looks like a big hobo. I was going to bring it back in to be repaired but the people buying the little red horse that ripped it to shreds said they wanted to replace it for me. Which I told them they didn't have to do but they wanted to.