I feel
like Nancy Reagan with her ridiculous ‘Just Say No’ campaign.
Winter is setting in and my natural inclination, sadly, is to curl up and burrow. Let’s
just stoke the fire, find that good book and crawl under the covers ‘til
spring.
That
might work if spring were next week. But the horses are bored, cold, and getting ruder by the day.
[Click here to read another fun, winter article]
[Click here to read another one!]
So my semi-forced
resolution is to channel Nancy Reagan. Remember her “Just Say No” campaign
against drugs? It’s got to be the answer to my own hibernation instinct, a “Just Say No”
to winter impediments, if you will.
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Here’s
how I’m combating the temptation to sequester myself ‘til April.
Just
get comfy:
I got out
my coveralls.
Got out my packets of handwarmers. Got out my assortment of silk
scarves (absolutely essential for keeping the neck warm), the thick socks and
winter boots. Got my To Go mugs for hot bevvies.
Now no
more excuses for being cold.
Just
set up:
I
don’t have an indoor arena.
I don’t have any arena. But I packed down the
paddock with the tractor to make room to play. There isn’t much room for riding
but it’s fine for ground work.
I’m
thinking about getting borium shoes on Shea for a few months of traction for
some winter events…
Just
get out there:
Contrary
to groundhog opinion, there are things to do all winter! I’m checking out ski
joring in New Hampshire and clinics next month. Check out events by clicking
here.
Just make do:
Okay, so the roads are too crappy to ride on and by 4 pm it's too dark anyway.
So I have to commit to horse time in other ways - more grooming, more mini-exercises in the stalls, reacquainting myself with the equine stretches I learned last winter from massage therapist Ashley Hutchinson.
I noticed last week that my mare, Brooke, is becoming more and more pissy about being handled. So I added handling her more (including the Kel Jeffreys method, click here for description) to my To Do list.
On second thought, maybe I'm channeling the Nike marketing department!