Tag Archives: snow

Cold Snap

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I must say that the horses and ponies are surviving remarkably well in this winter weather.  Their little faces are always very happy to see me and my buckets in the morning. There are no signs of shivering or misery from anyone, which is very good and a relief. You know me, I do like to worry.

Outsde is cold – it snows, rains, sleets and hails possibly all at the same time and mostly when I am outside poo-picking.  I tried silk liners in my gloves but it made no difference really to my poor fingers.  I gave up poo-picking when it turned into a blizzard.  There are limits.

While the horses/ponies were eating I examined Kolka’s coat and noticed that their winter coats are doing their job – the guard hairs are working.

And then at the side all the fur goes into points.

While the inner coat is completely dry and it is the same for everyone.  One very good reason why I don’t bathe my horses and ponies – the grease in their coats is keeping them warm and dry.

Little Pepper is not dissimilar.  She never feels the cold or gets actually wet through.  Everything just bounces off her apart from disgusting things she can roll in.

Ted, on the other paw, is made of very cheap nylon.  So today, before the dog walk, I put on his coat.  What a diffference that made.

Ted went running off enjoying every minute of the walk, even when the weather turned very nasty.  He didn’t even turn tail and run for home like he usually does.

Lambie just went back to bed.

And here is Ted looking very smart in his padded coat and no, we don’t think he looks like a chav (though we do).

 

So Much Better

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Well, it’s been a week, I think, of running around after Haakon with buckets to soak his hoof in, injections, painkillers, food twice a day.  I am exhausted but at last I can say (still praying, though) that hopefully he is on the mend.

And because today was sunny, I took off Haakon’s rug and saw that all the tucked up’ness from the pain and misery had gone.  I have my old fat boy back.

The dragon of loathing and I-hate-everyone curmudgeon has returned too, as it should be.  So I am hugely relieved and the big injections (antibiotics) have come to an end. I am also reducing the painkillers and from tomorrow Haakon will be down to one bucket as all this running around after him is killing me and he doesn’t need it now.  I also don’t want him to become used to two meals a day, please.

Though some *** cough *** Monster *** cough *** have breakfast, a snack for Ted’s eye treatment,  a snack for the dog walk even if non-participating, tea, a snack, supper and lastly midnight feast because that’s the routine we’ve been trained to.  Now I write it down, it does sound rather a lot.

Anyway, the lovely day vanished later and the temperature lowered.

When I had finished packing veg at Turriefield, I went outside to go home and was confronted by this……

Snow!  Ugh.

I dashed home and got Haakon’s bucket ready.  He was waiting and I pushed him through the garden gate to eat by himself.

I gave the vultures some little carrots to shut them up.  They all have a very good covering (ribs? what ribs!) and this is why I let them get fat over the summer.  I need constant reminding not to go rug-mad.

Anyway, I am hugely relieved.  I think there is light at the end of this tunnel.