January-itis

I'm honest about the fact that January is my least favorite month. It's long, well, feels longer than the other months. It's dreary and cold where I live, though this year has been oddly warm and snowless. I find myself depressed because I'm on a wind down from the holidays and I tend toward SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). While my goal for 2012 is to have a positive spin, gosh, January tests me every year.


Right now, I'm thrilled to be past the midway point. I can see the light at the end of January. People around here are saying winter is passing us over this year with temps up and down from 20's to 50's. There's still plenty of time for winter weather, I'm not falling into that frame of mind. 


To ease my dismal mood, I called my horse-friend. I hadn't talked to her in a few months. We've been friends for the past eight years, met when we were both working at a riding stable. Horses, and our animals, are our common denominator but we have other things in common too.We can pass an hour, easily, talking about our horses and animals. She tends to feel the same way I do in January, bluh. We talked about attending Equine Affaire in April. The crazy things our horses did the past few months. Information either of us may have acquired concerning horses, new trends, new clinicians, new ways of using our time with our horses. It's a good "visit" when you come away smiling and January doesn't feel so darn gray.


So, if you're like me and suffer from January-itis,the best advice I'd give is to find those things that make you forget how long January can feel. The things I've done include: phoned a friend, groomed my horses, watched the squirrels and birds take advantage of the buffet I've provided, taken short walks with my dogs outside, read an uplifting book, watched an uplifting movie or TV program (if you can find one). Also, remember, January is only thirty one days and by March, it will be a memory. 

Hello, February!

I am so happy to have made it through January with basically only to incidences. Much, much better than I endured this time last year. Last year, I had to have a thyroidectomy because of cancer cells being found. I had to go through RAI treatment. On top of the health problems, my dad was increasingly in poor health and Mother Nature threw us an ice storm, followed by a wind storm both causing power outages and other problems.

I am not a fan of the month of January. Period.

This year the second Monday of the month, #2 son hit a deer with his barely two week old car. The car was totaled by the insurance company. It was a gem of a used car too. A 2003 compact with only 25,000 miles on it.  He had bought it because he needed a small car for his long commute to his new job. A job that took him over a year and a half to land.The job is in another state but because his finances aren't the best right now, he opted to commute instead of trying to move closer.

The incident occurred second Monday of his new job. I received the phone call around 7:45am. He couldn't drive the car because the radiator was busted. I had to drive to where he was so we could get a wrecker. He's not sure what happened to the deer but he said he had no choice except to plow right through it. He said he rounded  the corner, driving a busy two lane highway, and there it was!  I was thankful he wasn't hurt an no one else was involved! It could have been much worse if the airbags had deployed. Evidently the deer hit just above the sensor. So there was the first incident that foretold maybe January wasn't going to be nice after all.

The rest of the month was actually quiet. That is, until Friday morning when I was awakened by the most violent headache I can remember. Needless to say, that day went downhill quick. Having other health problems (Type 1 diabetic, and thyroid thing) I got scared. I asked Hubby to stay home from work because I wasn't sure how things were going to develop. Fortunately, I was able to come out of it, though even today, my head is a little achy. Still haven't figured out what was going on. Didn't have a fever so  I guess it's not the flu. Whatever it was, it sure had me down for the count this last weekend of January.

All right, so now it's February. The days are actually getting longer! The sun is still giving light up until about 6:15pm. I'm sure February is going to be better!

Time for New Stuff

Time to get moving on some new things. It's been almost a month since I said good bye and good riddance to 2009 which is NOT going down as one of my better years, as a matter of fact, it's one of my worst. But 2009 is in the rear view now, and to celebrate or maybe motivate, I've changed up my profile picture, colors and just tried to spruce up a bit.

The handsome fella in my profile photo is my eleven year old Spotted Saddle Horse, Bo. He is of the "old" generation Tennessee Walker. Big, gorgeous head and a body to match. He can be moody, but then, so can I, needless to say, we understand each other...most of the time. 

January is rolling to an end and I am counting down the days. I am not a fan of the month. It is my least favorite. 

I realized the other day that many major upheavals in my life occurred during the month of January. Maybe it's just because my mood is dreary during this month, no matter what I do. I am definitely one of those people affected by SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).

Probably a good thing we didn't move to Alaska when we were considering it ten years ago. Yeah, don't think that would have been the best idea, for me anyway.

Fortunately, our path didn't move us that way.We're still here in Southern Ohio, the Foothills to the Smoky's and it's not so bad. We can pretty much depend on the change of the four seasons here and I like that. Don't get me wrong, Alaska, especially the Inside Passage, where we traveled back in '99, is gorgeous and breathtaking. People who live in Alaska year around are a gutsy bunch!

Now, I know January is not going to leave without a bang. It surprised us last year with the ice storm and wind storms during the very last days. Weather forecasts are calling for "significant" winter weather toward the weekend.

Here's three cheers to February coming in next week!  Won't be long until the crocus are popping through after that.

January Just Had to Go Out With a BANG

Snow is falling and falling alot. We're in the midst of a 48 hour snowstorm. This particular area of the Appalchians, in Southern Ohio is never prepared for this kind of snowfall. Looks like about 5 inches out there right now with sleet and other junk falling later this afternoon. I know it's a drop in the bucket compared to what some folks get, but around here, it puts our roads into a level 3 emergency. I don't look for any kind of township truck with a snow plow on the front to come up our road until maybe tomorrow.


Hubby tracked off to work this morning. He has about a 15 mile drive. Fortunately he has his Jeep Wrangler 4WD. I also have my Dodge Dakota 4WD, but I ain't going nowhere today! I feel fortunate not to have to get out. There was a time when I loved driving in this kind of weather but these days, it's the crazy people who don't know how to drive on snow covered or icy roads that scare me. They always seem to be the ones out on the road during this kind of weather.


This sudden heavy snowfall brings a variety of problems. It is gorgeous outside right now. But then I look at the snow accumulating on the roof of the stall area, where my horses will probably remain all day, and I cringe. I know it's a strong roof because Hubby added it a few years ago. When he builds something it's strong and always withstands the elements. Still, last year we had to move snow off of it because the weight of the melting snow was causing the metal to sag in a few areas. I'll have to keep watch on it.


Concern over the uneven mud rocks now resting under 5+ inches of snow. Bo has a tendency to bully Spirit sometimes and run him out of the stall area. Spirit runs out without paying much attention to his feet. On one hand I'm hoping the snow will cushion his feet. On the other hand, as I witnessed this morning, those lovely new rubber mats are slippery. UGH!! Plus, the fact I have not been able to get the farrier out here for a very long time. I should have done it before my surgery in December, but seems like there was always something....now, Bo and Spirit's toes are longer than I like them to be and with this weather.........I'm sure they'll be fine, but I'm watchful and quietly chastise myself for not getting the farrier out here last month.


Snow on the the top of the hay storage building. We have one of those semi-round tarp-like buildings to store the hay. Most of the time the snow will eventually slide off the top. I was out there this morning, and it's piling up on top. No sagging. I sure would hate to lose my hay.


The dogs are snug in their roomy, straw filled houses. I hesitate to let them run today but probably will when I go out to start digging a path to the garage and barn. When the horses romp around out in the snow, the dogs believe they are suppose to tell them to stop and the barking starts. I'm not as concerned about the dogs unless they're out there running around, which they would do if I release them.


We usually average one or two sudden heavy snowfalls like this a year and they usually fall, just like I predicted after the middle of January, until the middle of February. Time to just buckle down, enjoy the scenery and look for the problems melt down will bring in a few days.



January, You couldn't just bow out quietly could you?

Counting....

I'm counting the days to warmer, better weather. Not really. Actually, when I'm being honest, I'm just counting the days until January is done. Once I get over January, I see the light! Although, February has produced some nasty winter weather, so I know January 31 does not automatically mean winter is done around here. But in my mind, we'll be closer to March.

My horses haven't ventured out into the field much the past couple of days. I've been taking the evening hay out to the field, unless it's wet or sleety precipitation, then they get to eat back in the stall area.

Gosh, guys, I know we've made your little stall home nice and cozy with lots of soft, warm mats (softer and warmer than the cold frozen mud peaks you have trouble walking over) but you gotta go out once in a while!

While they are eating their evening grain ration, I take the hay out to the field. Spirit doesn't seem to have a problem with it, he'll pick (over the frozen mud rocks) his way out to the hay. Bo, on the other hand, will stand in the stall and contemplate whether it is really worth his while to venture out. Naturally, it doesn't take him very long to decide, but it's always amusing to see how he seems to be deciding whether the effort is worth it to him. He's that kind of horse!

I take this time of the year, to look over horse supply catalogs. I really don't need anything. I've pretty much got my gear and supplies. Well, there are always things I want. Overall, I've pretty much acquired the tack, gear and supplies I need. But, it's so much fun to look at all the great stuff in the catalogs!

Some women sit and study clothing catalogs, I study Valley Vet, Dover, Country Supply, Schneiders, Chicks, among others, and think about what I might be able to order in the future. Usually some pages get earmarked for something. Hubby has a favorite tool supply catalog he pours over, I have my horse supply catalogs!

My good friend, who has four horses, called me recently and told me she'd signed up for a Julie Goodnight training clinic in May. She wants me to sign up and go with her. I'd love to but right now I can't see past January 31! She even offered to take two of her horses, who are a little more adaptable at being away because she has shown them. My guys, unfortunately have not been anywhere but here for the past 4 years and I don't feel comfortable taking them until I have an opportunity to move them around in my own trailer. I haven't invested in a trailer yet. I'm hoping, maybe this year, we'll get a trailer. I've been looking at a couple of local dealers online. I have the model I want in mind, it's just the $$$ that I don't want to spend. Anyway, that aside, I may take her up on her offer, but I have to see the light at the end of the tunnel (January) before I really feel like planning anything into May.

Yep, January is definitely the longest month of the year for me. Some days, I could swear it was more like 45 days long, but as I mark off each day (just a habit) I can see that I'm not being fooled, there are only thirty one days in January. I don't know what it is but I've always felt this way as long as I can remember.

So, I'll keep my spirits as light as possible by looking through my most recent horse supply catalogs, and let the cold, wintry days of January slowly pass.

January-wandering thoughts on a winter day

January always seems to be the longest month of the year to me. Even here in Southern Ohio, January is cold, dreary, gray and my mood is always, well, pretty much along those lines too.

We had a cold snap and a decent snow the first couple of weeks of December. We've been getting a reprieve the past couple of weeks, for which I am thankful. But, just like clockwork, the cold, snow and bad weather will return, by my estimation, around the middle of January. That's our usual time for the really snow and ice stuff.


I noticed my hay supply is about half now. I get kind of edgy when my hay supply gets low. When it comes down to it, I probably feed too much hay to my two geldings, but I figure since they can't graze, due to no grass, they need the hay. Well, now since my hay supply seems to be visibly less than I like at this time of year, I have returned to feeding them alfalfa-timothy hay cubes in their afternoon feed, softened with warm water.


Do we baby our horses too much? Over at Mugwump Chronicles she had a really interesting post about how our relationship with our horses has changed over the past few decades. She made some excellent points. I find myself looking at horses much the way she describes.

I'm sure my grandpa, one of those "old style" horse trainers, would probably think I'm soft on my guys. Grandpa was not of the Natural Horsemanship school of thought, considering he did his training back in the early 1920's in Northern Ohio. I never got the opportunity to talk to Grandpa about his horse training days and possibly, I wouldn't agree with his techniques. The stories I get are from my mom and most of those stories are second hand. By the time Mom came along, in 1934, Grandpa had given up the horse training to work at a factory and support his family. However, my dad told me he once ran into a fella who'd actually heard of my grandpa's horse training days and told my dad Ollie was a pretty good horse trainer, trained some good harness horses. Well, I guess I'll never know exactly. One thing I'm sure of, he was probably not gentle in his gentling or his training. They just weren't like that back in those days.


For the most part, I think we do things better nowadays and I, for one, am glad we are more knowledgeable of horse behavior, or at least have the resources to learn. I'm appreciative that I can look up information, read about different techniques and decide for myself what works for me and my horses. Though, I also realize, learning from an experienced horseman/woman would be ideal, sometimes it's just not in the cards.

When I got into my horses, going on 5 years now, I started out being enthralled with Clinton Anderson's work. Later, I observed various other trainers and clinicians. At one point, became very confused with all the different techniques. Finally figured out, horse training, at the consumer level, is like everything else, you find what's right for you. Last summer I decided to take the different techniques and come up with what works for me and my guys.

January will roll on slowly, I'm sure, so it's time to slow down, read some good fiction books, think a little about what I want from my horses this coming season, and just relax. That's how I should take January.................but we all know best laid plans....