I went to check on Dani since it's been pretty cold lately, I've been sick too; nothing major just a head cold but it is still enough to make me want to just stay in bed. She had a cute dusting of snow on her and was munching happily on hay even though she had snowballs on her feet. They don't bother her on the uneven ground so much.
One of these days I’ll take my real camera to the barn instead of trying to get images from my iphone. When it’s cold my hand freezes while taking the shots since the touch screen needs bare fingers. Forgive me these images are really blurry because I was trying to quickly take the pictures and Dani kept moving and trying to nibble on the phone. Oh well it gives you the gist of how chilly it was. Even with the indoor arena it was too cold to do any work with Dani, my gloved hands and socked feet were frozen, my face was stiff from the cold. I just brought her in to get her feet free from snowballs. I used a hair dryer to try and melt the remnants of ice from her hooves but as soon as I removed the dryer to grab my stiff brush the melted ice refroze almost instantly. Uge. Well at least her hooves were even instead of dome shaped below. My farrier said that on these cold cold days the WD-40 won't work 100%. I wonder if a pad like these would work better than the hairdryer though….but, do I have to extra cash to buy one and try it out? No…but one can ponder.
Aside from the snowballs my visit to Dani was typical, pony lips on the phone and little ears following my movements around her taking pictures. She was sharing a hay pile with Rock, the cutest little appaloosa I’ve ever seen. I’ll have to do a post about him since he’s got a lot of personality!
Last week I received a replacement butt strap from Rambo Blankets, it was green and not bungee. I placed it on her blanket, it worked just fine and I was happy to see that this one had metal clips to it, nice and sturdy. Steve and I discovered this weekend that Dani’s butt strap was missing again though. It had to have been taken off since I think the clips would still be attached even if it had been ripped off. So I placed a “lost butt strap” note on the board in the stable. We’ll see if anything comes of it. I don’t want to have to keep getting butt straps. This one was free but replacement ones are $10 and if she keeps losing them that could add up!
This week it will start to warm up and the weekend should be in the 40’s, hopefully I can get some time in to work with my Daenerys. It’s a three day weekend for me and aside from maybe seeing some movies with the hubby or getting a drink with friends I don’t have any big plans. I’m ready for warmer weather, I used to take a break from riding lessons in the winter as a kid because it can be downright miserable to ride with your fingers frozen and your toes numb. I’m a wimp! At least my mare doesn't seem bothered by the cold, she actually seems to enjoy the weather! LOL.
7 comments:
This cold weather has made horsekeeping so miserable! It is warmer today than it has been for a while...it's 17 degrees... In the summer I take my time down at the barn and hang out with my horses when they eat their supper...but now I go down to the barn, feed, then get back into the house!
Have you heard of horseshoes that are made of like a rubbery material? The ones I've read up on are happy hoof, it's a flexible shoe that protects the hoof but doesn't wear down as much as a metal shoe so it lasts longer, and also it flexes with the hoof. Anyways, my point being is that they are said to be much better for snowballs. They don't work for all horses depending on their specific hoof needs, but it's something to look into
I have heard of those horseshoes, I just want to keep her barefoot. She's not shod right now, so actually surprising that she's having this issue. At least it's not below-freezing cold like this everyday. Colorado normally has pretty mild winters in my opinion, at least on the Front Range. Thanks for the suggestion though! I'm willing to hear all potential options!
it is very surprising that she gets snowballs even when barefoot. i'd never seen that. she looks so cozy in her blanket, and in that last picture she looks like an arabian. wow, colorado has some weather. right now i cannot scoop manure because it's all buried under snow, so it just piles up and drives me crazy. also, it's frozen solid to the ground! i hope you find that butt strap. they are integral on those rambos. she's a lucky mare, living so naturally, being doted on. i'm quite envious of you.
Thats funny, because my first thought was 'wow i'm surprised she has shoes at all if shes a morgan!'
Thats so weird that she gets them so bad if she doesn't have shoes!
My mare is barefoot, and typically she doesn't ever get snowballs under her hooves. But if conditions are right and the temps are as cold as they've been lately (single digits and below zero), the snow becomes more like a sticky ice, and not the fluffy, dry powder we are used to here in New Mexico.
My mare had snowballs under her barefoot hooves for 3 days this week because of this crazy frigid weather. I am so ready for warmer weather...and I know my mare is, too!
~Lisa
Those pictures sure do make it look chilly.
Rock is super cute. I love Appys.
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