friday foto finish: pics or it didn't happen!

In other words --- sometimes it DOES snow in Maryland, and sometimes it even sticks around for a while too!! Sure sure, it's all gone now.... But I have pictures!! Lol...

mares in the morning!

For real, tho, we had two back to back snowstorms with a sustained period of below freezing temperatures around these parts. Not really terribly miserable or anything, or even that unusual.... 

geldings in the morning!

But honestly, with the way things have been going recently (ie: great), it felt like a nice time to just slow down and ease through the weather. No powering through, no big pushes or ambitions. Just bundled up ponies and people haha, and not a whole lot else.

two boys, one cup stall

Charlie had a few more days of being stall-bound due to conditions relating to his wound progress... But eventually we kinda just threw in the towel. It was legit too cold out for the duck tape or elastikon adhesives to even stick in order to wrap the hoof... And homeboy was DONE with staying in. 

chairlift lad's gorgeous halter is holding strong!

So we released him to the snow, and the wound has done us the favor of basically continuing on as it was. 

charlie, royal and punky --- the band's back together, guys <3 <3 <3

Meanwhile, the path down to the gelding's big pasture got too iced over to safely lead horses in and out, so Charlie's whole group was split into paddocks around the barn yard. 

Which naturally created the perfect opportunity to start reintroducing Royal to his former friends --- recall Royal has been rehabbing a soft tissue injury for over a year now. 

royal!!!!

The plan was for Charlie to buddy up again with his longtime friend as the heel bulb wound recovered, and then they'd rejoin the group as a duo vs Royal kinda getting flung back out into the wild with no preparation. 

snoozin with the sun on his back

So it actually all worked out perfectly --- Royal got to get reacquainted with Charlie first (lol), then with more friends in paddocks, and now that the snow is gone, they're all back out in the big field again!! WHEW!

so so so slow with this thing, tho

Charlie's wound isn't finished healing yet, and could still go backwards I guess. It's just so wet out, and will probably be wet for a long time to come. Plus now that they're on a round bale, the mud will start getting deep fast. But we'll see. 

#sunbathing

At some point we'll try to do his hocks again (it's been almost 2yrs now holy shit), so if the wound starts looking squicky we'll just time it for that --- so he can dry out in his stall as needed.

back out in the cold again haha, still snoozy tho

Doozy had some herd rearrangements too. The elegant old bay matriarch of her group passed suddenly but peacefully overnight in her stall recently. Just came in from the field, ate her dinner, laid down, and left us. Very sad, but honestly a gift in how peacefully she went. 

back to dooz nooz -- poor thing got kicked :'(

Since then, some mares who were on dry lots during the grassy season joined the herd -- Rosette and lil hunter princess pony Truly. There was a little kerfuffle during introductions, and Doozy ended up on the receiving end of a stern "lecture" lol.... But all has been well since, as far as I can tell.

also got a new Bartville halter bc she instantly broke the "new" consignment halter i got her for christmas.....

And actually, Doozy went more than a full week without getting ridden! Her first significant break since the cellulitis situation!!

ooooh back to work!

I actually hadn't sat on her since our clinic lesson with Sally... Then finally pulled her out again about mid week this week. And guys. Wow. I just don't know what to say other than... It's amazing how much traveling and going places and doing things can grow a horse up. 

pics or it didn't happen

Taking a couple turns around the indoor with friends now is so easy, so routine, so "normal," that my reactive sassy little red rockette just went about it, went thru her paces (admittedly volunteering to canter before I quite asked, but politely enough that who really cares anyway?) and was a sensible pleasant riding horse! Good girl!

snow walks

And has been ever since!! Our work isn't exactly like, "good" or "polished" lol... But, eh, does it need to be right now? Nahhhh lol... We just need to enjoy it, imho. We're overdue for an MP lesson, but actually might be doing something different (but kinda the same?) this weekend first. We'll see. Stay tuned.

omgggg and charles <3 <3

And ya know. Now that Charlie has returned to his big field and is not quite as, er, feisty, as he was while in limited turn out.... Well --- it's back to the salt mines with him too <3 

Jk jk lol.... I only just sat on Charlie long enough to say "we did it!" and take a picture lol. He's not gonna do anything serious until his hocks get done, whenever that is. But we can dink around a little in the meantime. 

So. Happy Friday, y'all -- you're officially caught up in everything that has (or hasn't lol) happened in the last couple weeks. Gotta say, I'm really loving this winter's relaxed vibes so far --- hope you're feeling similarly!! Have a great weekend!