The Joy of Living in Vermont in Winter Time

I hate winter. Big news flash, huh? I have made that abundantly clear over the last year. Not only am I allergic to dust, hay, horses, chickens, etc. I now find out that I am have asthmatic allergic reaction to ~ insert drum roll here ~ COLD. No way. This is so unfair.

So, here I am last night, trying to bend over and clean Tommy's foot to see what is making him limp, with my scarf hanging down in my eyes, my glasses fogging up, and Tommy sniffing at my butt. I hope you all are laughing right now. I wasn't at the time because I couldn't breathe because it was only 17 degrees in the barn. I was also interfering with his dinner. I would think that if you have 4 legs, you could eat plenty fine on three. There was a small protest until he figured out three were better than two and kept munching on.

Tommy's foot is fine, as far as I could tell, but cleaned it well and put some kopertox on it just in case. Don't know if it smelled funky as I couldn't smell anything if you paid me. Could smell the kopertox after that spilled on my glove. Yuck. Bleck.

I'm headed out in a few minutes to soak his foot in epsom salt and warm water, then will dry it really good and do my famous dressing on it. It consists of putting a cushioned pad in a diaper then duct tape it, wrapping it all up on his hoof. That helps keep whatever is in his foot wicking away while keeping it completely contained and dried. If this doesn't work in a day or so I will have to call out the vet to get a further evaluation.

I do know it is not founder, or a nail or staple or anything like that. It looks good except maybe a little bit of thrush around the frog.

I'll bring my inhaler with me (which I totally don't get, by the way ... why would I use an inhaler to open my breathing passages when I don't want to inhale more COLD air????)

This is why I dream of South Carolina this time of year. I am working on getting everything ready to head south next month, but not sure that I'm going to get it all together for as soon as I want it... but it WILL happen!

Out to the barn... too bad breathing is so mandatory to live... gasp... gotta stop laughing, also, as I run out of breath.....

Back from the Dead

Well, back from the dead. Up and working on the computer today. Not going outside if I can help it - ran out for just two minutes to let the horses out and sneak the eggs away from the chickens. Left the chickens inside as it is way too cold out. It was only 17 degrees at 9 am when I went out. Have the wood stoves cranking out the heat today. Love living in a house that has almost no insulation.

At least I have my voice today - still coughing up a storm. I need to move some place that is much warmer than here - or get a covered walk way to the barn. My bones ache and my lungs are killing me. Only 4 more months of this crappy weather to go :(

If there were only one strain of flu...

I've been on the couch all day. I'm sicker than sick. So much for the H1N1, flu and pneumonia shot. I got the only strain they don't immunize against. Bleck.

Eating chicken soup and drinking hot ice tea.

Going to lay on the couch and watch my head explode every time I cough up a lung.

Prayers, but no phone calls. Lost my voice, too.

Argh. Hope I feel better tomorrow.

Update on Tommy!

Ok, let's do a photo trip through the rehabilitation of an emaciated horse... Remember, Tommy, the 12 year old Quarter Horse? The first picture is taken the beginning of May...



Now, in the middle of June, here is what a few groceries and a good worming does for him...

Here he is in September, the day he came to me. He looks much better!



Well, a new year has begun, and with it a new life for a horse! Tommy is totally recovered and ready for riding. Here he is January 1st!


He's doing so good! And is such a sweetheart! He has gained about 350 pounds.

I Hung Up My Bridle Today

by Kris Garrett

Yesterday, for the first time, I was too tired to ride.
Yesterday, for the first time, I was afraid I would be hurt if I was thrown.
Yesterday, for the first time, I heard someone say my barn was too shabby.
Yesterday, for the first time, I let someone tell me I was too pudgy to ride.
Yesterday, for the first time, I realized I was old.
Yesterday, for the first time, I had to face that I could no longer keep up.
Yesterday, for the first time, I had to let go of my dreams.
Yesterday, for the first time, I felt my heart break.
Yesterday, for the first time, I turned my back on my friend.
Yesterday, for the first time, I knew I was done.

Today, for the last time, I felt warm, braided leather in my hands.
Today, for the last time, I ran my stirrups up so they wouldn't bang my mare's sides.
Today, for the last time, I released the buckles on the girth and watched my girl sigh.
Today, for the last time, I slowly dropped the bit so it wouldn't hit her teeth.
Today, for the last time, I gave my mare a cookie to thank her for the ride.
Today, for the last time, I buried my head in her soft, warm neck.
Today, for the last time, I inhaled the sun and the dust in her long winter coat.
Today, for the last time, I closed the gate and trudged to the muddy porch.
Today, for the last time, I tracked hay and horse hair into my house.
Today, for the last time, I pulled off my boots and felt the sting of warm blood returning to my cold toes.

Today, for the first time, I cried after my ride.
Today, for the first time, I felt my hands shake as I set the saddle on its rack.
Today, for the first time, I hugged my young trainer a final goodbye.
Today, for the first time, I waited for the new owner's trailer to arrive.
Today, for the first time, I set my boots in a box to go to the Goodwill.
Today, for the first time, I sighed at the wear on my riding gloves.
Today, for the first time, I had no hay in my hair.
Today, for the first time, I did not hear nickering when I opened my back door.
Today, for the first time, I felt worse leaving the barn that I did when I entered.
Today, for the first time, I had no one to check on before going to bed.

Tomorrow, for the first time, I won't have to buy hay.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I can stay in bed longer.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I won't see the poop pile grow.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I won't be able to fly on four legs.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be sorry I listened.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will regret letting her go.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be angry at God.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be angry at myself.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will cry the day away.
Tomorrow, for the first time, I will be glad to die.

Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will awaken in tears.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will know I was wrong.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will defy all the judgment.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will ignore my old bones.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will return the buyer's check.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will bring my friend home.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will take my boots out of the box.
Day after tomorrow, for the first time, I will be reborn.

For the rest of my life, I will have a horse in my yard.
For the rest of my life, I will ignore the ignorant judging.
For the rest of my life, I will watch the poop pile grow.
For the rest of my life, I will have hay in my hair.
For the rest of my life, I will track mud in my house.
For the rest of my life, I will bury my face in her soft neck.
For the rest of my life, I will let my soul fly.
For the rest of my life, I will never be alone.

Houdini no more

Fixing fence in the snow :( electrical tape, lowered the top strand, keeping an eye out... he's been outside for 2 hours now, but still in the fence. Mingo is picking on him every time he tries to find a way out... keeps him from thinking about escaping too much.

Winter and snow in vermont. Brrrr, it's cold and there is just enough wind blowing to make it a little bit worse. The bird tucked her blanket inside her cage and was shivering under it, so started the wood stove in the living room. GOing to finish plasticing the windows today if the tape will #*^%@&& stick.

Ohy, vey, it's a never ending battle....

Smokey-Houdini Contained....

Ah, the great escape artist, Smokey, is cooling his heels in the barn, under barn arrest. He is NOT staying where he belongs. Which is INSIDE the fence. So, the best thing to keep him safe from the road that runs along one lllooonnnnggg side of the property is to keep him contained where I know he will be safe. In the barn.

Poor Smokey. He keeps sticking his head out the window and hollering to the other horses about how mean his Mom is... I don't have any sympathy for him. Even though the fence is zapping him - he has a couple of small marks on his front legs where he zapped himself getting out - he continues to crawl through the fence.

So, the boys are hanging their heads in the stall window to keep him company and, I swear, laughing at him as they run around the field. Even letting him out for a few minutes while I clean his stall leads to an escape. So, into the other stall during cleaning time. Different four walls, but four walls just the same.

Short of putting up a wooden fence, and we know how well construction is this time of year with the weather, etc, or putting another strand of electric fence up around the whole field, which I probably will need to do, h e is driving me to distraction...