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. 

Weather Related

Lately I've been asking myself-When did WEATHER become such an important part of my life? I've always been interested in weather patterns and how weather affects most everything we do. It can ruin the best laid plans. It can make a day feel wonderful. The answer, in my particular case, is six years ago. Yep. Six years ago when I bought these two horses of mine. 


These days, weather is at the top of my list of aggravations in my horse-life. Maybe I take things too seriously. Been trying to just roll with it. Some days are easier than others. Those days are when the sun is shining and the daytime temps are hovering around 70 degrees. Yeah, that's about perfect for me. Haven't seen many of those in quite some time. I think April was the last time this year. After April, seems like the weather conspired against me with storms, rain, more storms... Yeah, I think I take the weather a little too personally.


This week is our third week in a string of Heat Advisories and Warnings for our county. Heat index at 100-110, so they're reporting. In Southern Ohio, we don't just get hot, we get hot and humid. I am not a tropical kind of gal at all. I don't think I ever was but the older I get, the more I want my weather moderately pleasant as often as possible.


The horses are being annoyed by horseflies. Try as I might, there just isn't enough fly spray to do the job when they get hot and sweaty. I am an unbeliever of the label that says "lasts 7-14 days". I'm wondering if they're talking about stalled horses because that's the only way it would make sense to me. You can't stop your pastured pony from rolling in the dirt unless you keep him stalled and that's not how I keep my guys. I spread my Fly Predators once a month and that is a definite improvement on the black flies. But those big, fat, ugly, horseflies...Man, I HATE them!!!


I find myself these days monitoring the local weather radars when bad weather has been forecast. What's the deal with that? Not like I can change it. I guess part of me just thinks I can be more alert for the "what ifs". Right.


Well, the night the tree fell on the fence and Spirit ended up with a sliced leg, there was no wind, there was no rain, there was no weather at all. It was a quiet, hot evening. Trees have a way of just letting go sometimes.


I find having horses I am particularly attuned to what's happening with the weather, even more so than I was before I had horses. Then my thoughts go to the fact that 20 something years ago, we only had The Weather Channel, local news weather, and the radio for our weather news. 

Sometimes more information can become an obsession. Wonder if there's a support group for this? Seriously. Because I'm thinking I'm way too wrapped up in what the weather's going to be rather than just dealing with it as it comes every morning.


Sure am looking forward to next week...they say we're suppose to get down into the mid-80's.

MUD!!!!!

Need I say more?
Bo & Spirit

Mud, mud, EVERYWHERE! The back field is my sacrifice field where the boys stay December through April.

Don't get me wrong, on one hand I'm happy to have the April showers. The rain means my measely grass pasture will surely green up by May 1, when I allow my guys to get into into it for a few hours a day.

However, I had just gotten back into working with my guys again after the long winter break. We were doing pretty good too. Spirit is so eager this year makes me look forward to working with him! Bo, well, as usual, he just needs saddled and ridden.

I don't have an inside or covered arena. We're completely o'natu-ral, meaning barefoot horses, run-in stall/shed area, 24/7 outside horses, and we try to do the best we can with what we've built. When Hubby and I designed our little farm area, we thought we had things pretty well covered. Some things you just never see coming................at the time neither of us saw the disadvantage of putting the corral area at the base of a hill. Live and learn!

Green pasture grass ready for grazing by May 1.

At my next farm I'll remember to have a 60x120 barn with indoor riding arena, stalls AND acres upon acres of lush green pasture grass. Probably have to be in my next life though.......so, I deal with this muddy crap every cotton pickn' spring and fall.

Good news, we're looking at sunny skies and warm temps Thursday through Saturday! Just enough to probably get dried out enough to get muddied up again when the rain comes through next week. I need to quit watching the Weather Channel!

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.