January thaw!!

Well there is a saying that I'm sure you've heard. IF you don't like the weather in (fill in the blank Canada)...stick around...it'll change.

Change it did. It went from frigid cold to super warm, mild melting raining weather. All the wonderful snow we had melted right out from under me. :( I was afraid of the muck! and worried alot day by day to see how things would pan out for Veggie.

Turns out the trench we dug last fall helped tremendously as did the rock and gravel alley ways that I laid down last summer. Thank goodness. I don't fear spring quite so much now.

Rain is hard on winter coats and requires different management than snowfall. Rain leaves the coat very 'parted' to channel water off. Once dry it's very important to groom the coat to fluff it up again. Rolling is good too but you do a much better job grooming. After a rain or snowfall I always make sure to re fluff their coats. Veggie is getting less tense on his back and his muscling is becoming more normal...less tight!!

On a sunny day above freezing, I bring out the spray bottles to do a 'spa treatment' groom to the mane and tail.

Vegas likes head massages :)

Playing with Daas who is quite a might larger than he is...Veggie holds his own...and is getting used to incorporating his body to play rather than just the lips. There was a time not too long ago that this type of play initiated from anyone and he would go into his 'tazmanian devil' approach and basically freak out. He took it all as aggression towards him, instead of play. Now he is finally realizing how to spar with the boys and not fight to the death. ;) I see him playing so often now it warms my heart!

I call this type of play 'yoga for horses'...play pose. Good for the body, mind and spirit.

A couple of days pass and we get some snow again...yay.

One thing when it was muddy and then froze in ruts again...Vegas had No problem navigating them at all...he was looking just like the others and even ran across when it's play time.

I still try to run them daily...but when the footing is not good I don't. Then I just take a lot of care to where I spread the hay for them so they are keeping on walkin'. It's certainly never the same day twice for him...and that's good for the soul.

Here the 4 boys are running and playing and wrestling. Beta keeps out of this group play. He's too old for that rough stuff although he remains the herd boss and leader. He is well respected by all and befriended by them too.