When I was a kid, snow was a big deal. It meant sledding and ice skating, skiing and hikes in the snow. Sometimes it meant having an extra day off too. What kid doesn't love that? I spent part of my childhood in Kansas, part in Wisconsin and part in Maine...all places known for their weather extremes. And I'm still here too, living and working in the Midwest with the weather in the fifties one day and the teens the next.
I love the unexpected weather patterns. I'm not sure I would be happy in a more moderate climate now. Meeting the challenge of the wild swings from one end of the spectrum to another is part of the fun for me. It's another part of the puzzle to solve. And there's a certain empowerment that comes from being able to deal with it successfully. Course, I have a lot of friends who also think I'm a bit daffy in that regard!
Today we spent the day getting ready for a snow that's been fore casted for tonight and tomorrow. We made sure the wood was cut and stacked inside, ready to burn. We went out to walk the fence lines and to test them to make sure the back up battery was ready. There's extra grain in the barn and extra groceries in the house. We've battened down the hatches and now we're waiting.
But for the horses, it's WOO HOO! time. They ran and bucked and jumped and were, for the most part, down right silly today. Apache snuck into the barn and tried to climb the haystack. Lucky tipped the water buckets over just before I carried them in to rehang them. And he stole my gloves too, big red rat that he is. He put them into the water bucket just before he tipped it over! (Good thing I keep lots of extras.) If he'd had eyebrows and a "Snidley Whiplash Mustache", he would have twirled it and wiggled his eyebrows up and down and said "Bwa ah aaaahhhhhh!" I think they know the snow is coming. Both of them love it!
Here they are, playing Ring Around the Rosey with the gate. I snapped it because Lucky had that " Who me? I didn't do anything." look on his face. Sure enough, he'd just committed the Great Glove Caper here. Apache's just going around the gate to tip the last bucket over. It was a complete hoot here today!
We let them stay OUTSIDE longer than usual because they were having so much fun, romping around. It was like have a Summer Camp with a bunch of really, really big over excited kids. The best part was the way they kept trying to engage John in the fun! They've begun to see him as an integral part of the herd now. I loved watching his face when ever Apache would run up to him and tag him with his nose, always a sure invitation from him to come out and play.
He'd sneak up (or as much as a 1000 pound horse can sneak) and touch John, then turn and run around the end of the barn to "hide" behind the dried up sunflowers that we leave standing for him. It's one of his favorite games, Hide and Go Seek. Pretty soon his nose and then his eye would come around the end of the barn, checking to see if anyone was going to come find him. Then off he'd go, down the whole length of the field snorting and bucking. " I won! I'm King of the Cimmaron !"
When it was time to come in, we walked out to find them hiding back in the trees, waiting for us. Apache just couldn't stand it though. He had to come out and taunt us. " Nah ne nah ne boo boo!" then he'd run back into the trees to "hide". Even better, when he came out again, he chose to go to John! That's HUGE! It was John's breakthrough today. I was so proud of both of them. They walked, then trotted together all the way back to the barn! And, even more surprising, Lucky followed them too.
It was John's Day! And he's been walking around with a smile on his face because of it too. There's no finer tribute from your horse than when they choose to voluntarily play with you and to walk with you as a partner.
I hear all the time from other friends that it's no fun when it's cold. There's no good time to "work" with your horse. I have to beg to differ on that point. I think it's one of the best times of year for it because the days are shorter and the time spent is more in fun. There's a general feeling of relaxation around here. Our goals are set to the side, or at least the schedule changes, and it's more "Friendly". I'd say we've been putting gold in the bank, the best kind, because it's from the heart.
Today John practiced some of the finest qualities of Horse-Man_Ship. He did NOT act like a predator. He thought like a horse and he used the natural power of focus to make a connection that will, I think, have a profound impact on his partnership with Apache.
It just doesn't get any better than that, at least until it does!
I am, ever yours, Nancy, comfy cosey and smiling at you BIG TIME! (Oh boy! A snow day!)
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